"Robert Henderson" <Philip@anywhere.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:k+pTjLABlqG$Ewy+@anywhere.demon.co.uk...
> In the 1950s England went undefeated  for 14 series, from the NZ series
> on the 1950/51 tour until the 1958 home series  against NZ - the
> sequence was broken by Oz's win on the 58/59 tour.
>
> The sequence was a world record until the Windies beat it in the 1980s,
> the only time it has been beaten.
>
> The frontline bowlers who played for England during the run were
> remarkably few:
>
> Fast
>
> Trueman
> Tyson
> Staham
> Loader
> Moss   (2 matches only)
> Ridgeway  4 matches only) 1
>
>
> Fast medium
>
> Bedser
> Bailey
> Shackleton (I match only)

Watkins (listed by CricInfo as LMF) played in 8 of the 9 Tests against India in 1951/52 and
1952,
and bowled quite a lot, especially on the tour.

>
>
> Spin
>
> OB
>
> Laker
> Tattersall
> Appleyaard
> McConnon  (2 games only)  2
> Illingworth (1 game only) 3

Also Titmus - 2 games v SA 1955

>
> SLA
> Lock
> Wardle
> Hilton (3 games only)
>
> LBG
>
> Brown  (6 games only)
> Jenkins (2 games only)
> Leadbeater (2 games only) *

Wright's last two Tests were on the 1950/51 NZ tour.

>
>
> From the  third Test again India in 1952 to the fourth Test of the 1958
> NZ series England played only these bowlers:
>
> Pace: Bedser, Bailey, Trueman, Statham, Loader, Moss

Obviously you meant to include Tyson here!

> Spin: Laker, Tattersall, Appleyard,  McConnon, Lock, Wardle, Brown.
>
> Moss played 2 Tests in that time, McConnon 2 Tests and Brown 1 Test.
> Hence, in a period of six years, all but five Tests  were handled by
> five pace bowlers

Tyson makes six.

We're doing well these days if as few as six pace bowlers play over a period of six Tests, let
alone
six years, although of course it is commonplace to play field pace bowlers nowadays, whereas
three
was the norm in the 50s.

I get the impression that pace bowlers then were generally tougher physically than they are
now,
probably as a result of playing outdoors more as boys (generally I mean, not just cricket) and,
in
many cases, doing manual work after leaving school. I don't think it's any coincidence that
Glenn
McGrath, who was a farm worker in his youth and did not play a great deal of cricket as a teenager,
has one of the best fitness records among current Test pace bowlers.

>  and  five spinners, all of very high quality.
>
> Truly  bowlers win matches. RH


-- 
David North
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