Former England cricketer Harold Larwood, who was the main component of the 'bodyline' bowling style, has said that his captain Douglas Jardine asked him to stand at short cover point and just stare at Sir Don Bradman despite being seriously injured.
Larwood said that Jardine, who presented the bowler an ashtray with the inscription 'To Harold, For the Ashes. From a Grateful Skipper' for their 1932-33Ashes tour of Australia, was a real 'leader of men'.
According to The Guardian, Larwood said that Jardine, under whose captaincy during the 1932-33 Ashes tour England implied the 'Bodyline' tactics, would clap his hands when Sir Don Bradman would come in to bat for Australia and suddenly the paceman's field would change.
Larwood, who has lost his sense of vision, said that with Jardine's clap the field during Bradman's batting would be Les, at wicket standing back, not as a slip, but just as a short gully to stop the sort of jump and jab, then a mid-off, and every one of the rest of England's squad in a leg-trap ring.
Larwood, whose international career ended because of the use of the 'Bodyline' tactics during the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) tour of Australia, said that he used to watch Bradman's feet as he bowled and used to follow him wherever the legendary batsman shuffled, be it leg or across the stumps.
Also Read
Larwood said that he hurt his foot during the final Test at Sydney when Bradman came in and asked Jardine if he could retire as he was injured, but the skipper told him to stay until the batsman got out.
Larwood said that Jardine asked him to stand at short cover point and just stare at Bradman, so that he may think that the paceman could come back for another spell any time and that actually caused the legendary batsman to lose his head and get bowled out.
The England star currently lives with Lois, his devoted wife of 65 years, in Sydney, Australia, the report added.
