Jim Laker

Jim Laker

Jim Laker leaves the field after taking 19 for 90 at Old Trafford in 1956.
Personal information
Full name	James Charles Laker
Born	(1922-02-09)9 February 1922 Shipley, Yorkshire
Died	23 April 1986(1986-04-23) (aged 64) Wimbledon, London
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right arm off break
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 328)	21 January 1948 v West Indies
Last Test	18 February 1959 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1946–1959	Surrey
1951/52	Auckland
1962–1964	Essex
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 46 450 Runs scored 676 7,304 Batting average 14.08 16.60 100s/50s 0/2 2/18 Top score 63 113 Balls bowled 12,027 101,370 Wickets 193 1,944 Bowling average 21.24 18.41 5 wickets in innings 9 127 10 wickets in match 3 32 Best bowling 10/53 10/53 Catches/stumpings 12/– 270/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 28 April 2018

James Charles Laker (9 February 1922 – 23 April 1986) was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club from 1946 to 1959 and represented England in 46 Test matches. He was born in Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire, and died in Wimbledon, London.

A right-arm off break bowler, Laker is generally regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers in cricket history. In 1956, he achieved a still-unequalled world record when he took nineteen (of a maximum twenty) wickets in a Test match at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, enabling England to defeat Australia in what has become known as "Laker's Match". At club level, he formed a formidable spin partnership with Tony Lock, who was a left-arm orthodox spinner, and they played a key part in the success of the Surrey team through the 1950s including seven consecutive County Championship titles from 1952 to 1958. Laker batted right-handed as a useful tail-ender who scored two first-class centuries. He was considered a good fielder, especially in the gully position.

For his achievements in 1951, Laker was selected by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack (Wisden) as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in its 1952 edition. He was selected as the New Zealand Cricket Almanack Player of the Year in 1952 after playing for Auckland in the 1951–52 season. In 1956, his Surrey benefit season realised £11,086 (£294,369 in 2021 terms) and, at the end of that year, he was voted "BBC Sports Personality of the Year", the first cricketer to win the award. He later worked for BBC Sport as a cricket commentator in its outside broadcast transmissions.