Harold Larwood

by Duncan Hamilton

Harold Larwood is an England cricketing legend. During the MCC's notorious 1932–3 Ashes tour of Australia, his "Bodyline" bowling left Australia's batsmen bruised and battered, halved the batting average of the great Don Bradman—and gave England a 4–1 series victory. But the diplomatic row that followed brought Anglo-Australian relations to the brink of collapse. Larwood was used as a scapegoat by the MCC, which demanded he apologize for bowling Bodyline. Arguing that he had simply obeyed the instructions of his captain, Douglas Jardine, Larwood refused. He never played for England again. The Bodyline saga has been told before, but Larwood’s story has not. Using materials provided by the fast bowler’s family, Duncan Hamilton has created an intimate and compelling portrait of Larwood's life: from his mining village upbringing, through the trauma of 1932–3 and its bitter aftermath, to his emigration to Australia, where he and his family found happiness. A moving recreation of the triumph, betrayal and redemption of a working-class hero, Harold Larwood will enthrall not only cricket fans, but all those who relish biographical writing of the highest quality.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Sports, History

387 pages, Paperback

First published July 2, 2009

Reviews

[Geevee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thin, short but strong young man, who lived in a small, predominently coal mining, village in Nottinghamshire started working life as a miner as his father and forefathers had done.

He had one passion in life: cricket; and he thought about it all the time, first as a pit-boy aged 14, and then as a 17 year-old on the nightshift chipping away at the coal seam with a pick. Finishing work he would practise bowling for hours on end in the street or on waste ground, as well as playing for the village team against older lads and men. When he was 19 his father took him for a trial with Nottinghamshire, and in front of the club officials, who on first sight wondered how this slight, even weak boy would bowl, would see the first showings of one of the games's fastest ever - and most controversial - bowlers. His name was Harold Larwood.

Duncan Hamilton’s magnificent biography charts Larwood’s journey from pit to county cricket to test matches against Australia; and then controversy, rejection, loneliness and then rehabilitation.

Larwood – who at the start of his career in 1924 earned the same wages as he received at the pit, would walk miles to play cricket for his county (he walked 6 miles to the colliery so walking in his lifeblood) – soon became the finest bowler in England. This saw him play for England, first in 1926 and then finally to the Ashes series in 1932-33in Australia, that not only defined his life but changed cricket and many others lives for ever.

The five test matches saw England use tactics described by their captain, Douglas Jardine, as Leg theory but by the Australians’ as Bodyline. Ostensibly their plans were to bowl to leg stump to limit or negate the threat of Donald Bradman’s – and others - batting. Bradman was the finest batsman of the age (ever many will say) and he faced two of the fastest bowlers in Larwood, and his Nottinghamshire team mate, Bill Voce.
The tactics, which saw batsmen hit by balls travelling at around 90 miles per hours caused uproar in Australia – but at the time of the tests, that England went on to win, the team and in particular Larwood and Voce were feted as sporting heroes at home.

Shortly after arriving home though things changed and Larwood was snubbed by the English cricket authorities.

The second part of the book; the aftermath and effects on Larwood and his life are well told and fascinating.

Fascinating in Larwood’s loyalty to his captain, dedication to England and refusal to apologise to people who had originally celebrated his play, for as he saw it he was playing for his country following his captain’s orders with full satisfaction of the MCC at Lords.
It was also fascinating as Larwood, who during and after the tests was hated – not too strong – by many Australians, eventually moved to the country of his greatest feats and controversies, where he was not only taken in with kindness and generosity but also revered.

Hamilton’s book explores Larwood’s relationships with captains, players, officials and those from the Australian opposition, many who were great names in the game themselves. It also charts Larwood’s despair, loneliness and incomprehension at his treatment by English cricket’s establishment.

The book is not an in depth coverage of the tests or other matches Larwood played in and scorecards, averages and other facts & figures are not heavily in evidence. It does cover the match details course, but not so it over takes the writing and the story behind and within the cricket being played.

I thoroughly enjoyed Duncan Hamilton’s book about a man, and indeed arguably cricket's greatest controversy that I had known little of outside the headlines. I was left wishing I had watched this little but tough man bowl and seen Bradman twist and struggle yet still make runs.

I was also left thinking how Australia had taken in the “enemy” and took him to their hearts, showing great insight into that nations character, whilst the men who sent him to play in their name left him adrift for 40 or more years.

Biography at its best.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstandingly researched and compelling reading. A portrayal of a complex man whose pride in his part in bodyline overshadowed the rest of a long life. You get the feel that the writer as well as this reader is longing for an admission of regret for a central role in a distasteful Ashes series and for a reconciliation with his nemesis Don Bradman. The sense of regret for the reader is that there was no resolution. Quite simply one of the best sports biographies ever written.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I am biased being from Nottingham but this is a great biography for the cricket and sports fan.

[Dr.Srinivas Prasad Veeraraghavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much of a Biography bloke but Harold Larwood is not just another Fast Bowler. That I'm particularly passionate about the great art of Fast Bowling & its decorated & feted practitioners is something my pals are aware of and Larwood was easily, one of the earliest & the greatest of 'em all. That he was well before my time only adds to the romance & mystique surrounding his legend.

By all accounts, he was the most menacingly lethal Fast Bowler of all time bar none. Short (His lack of height actually helped him generate blinding quickness off the deck), spare & lean; Larwood was born gifted with the kind of pace that burned grass. Even with whatever li'l footage of his bowling videos that are available now, his action is typically classical & silken smooth.

"Bodyline" will never go away. Not ever. So the Cricket fans can stop kiddin' themselves. But this amazing Biography is much more than a detailed account of that momentous Series. Here, we see a proud and unapologetic Man who had the bloody courage to live life on his own terms amidst excruciating mental pressure. A man who valued integrity & self pride over money & personal ambition. We see a Man who almost broke his back hauling coal in remote Nuncargate and actually spilled blood bowling for England with a busted foot. We also learn of Douglas Jardine, the mythical figure who is praised & reviled in equal measure. Jardine must have been a real study - Aquiline nose, sculpted face, his Harlequin Cap prompting jeers & swears from the Aussie crowds bayin' for blood, his bloody minded ruthlessness & an almost fanatical obsession to win back the Ashes come what may, his contempt & distaste for all things Australian and then some. But Jardine was also a honourable Man Jardine trusted with his life. Till his death, Jardine was fiercely loyal & got the same loyalty from all his "wards" including his beloved Larwood.

"Lol" went back to the country that wanted to kill him & was eventually accepted as a model Citizen of the Country. As opposed to making money, he made a lot of worthy friends and when he said that that was what counted, you believed him. A lot of great Fast bowlers came on to the scene later & embellished Cricket but Harold Larwood was the template. Frank Tyson, Ray Lindwall, Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Waqar Younis et all had arguably more impressive figures (They tell only half the story) but there will be only one Larwood.

This book won the WISDEN Award in 2009 & rightly so. I've read only the Stephen Waugh biography (which I thought was a splendid & illuminating Cricketing biography) but this one transcends the genre itself.

Read. Enjoy. Then sigh back in content & imagine a scrawny Nottinghamshire lad with bright eyes glinting in the Sun,launch into a beautifully co-ordinated run-up before hurling another thunderbolt.

[Ken Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb book by a wonderful sports journalist. The Story of a Nottinghamshire lad who escaped the mines to become one of the finest fast bowlers the game of cricket has ever seen. Larwood was England captain Douglas Jardine's main weapon in the infamous body line series of 1932-33 as he was able to combine fearful pace with astonishing accuracy. During the body line series Larwood was a reviled character in Australia but years later when the bitterness and discrimination had died down he emigrated to Australia where he was welcome and made to feel so entirely at home that he only rarely visited England thereafter, hardly surprising if you take into account the dreadful way he was treated by the MCC the English cricket authorities after the bodyline. Throughout his life Larwood remained unrepentant about his role in the bodyline controversy and always expressed his admiration for Jardine who as captain was the real architect of the tactics which while not against the laws of the game as they then stood were deemed by Australians anyway as against the "spirit of the game" and we're where subsequently outlawed.
The book is very good on the class divisions that existed in Cricket at the time between so called Gentlemen (amateurs) and players (professionals. )The captain was always an amateur someone who went to the right school amateurs were always referred to as mister while a professional would be called merely by his surname. Gentlemen and players would change in different dressing rooms and evens sometimes take to the pitch via different gates. This unsurprisingly often caused resentment among the professionals Larwood included however he never had a bad word to say about the 2 ex public school captains D B Carr his county captain at Nottingham and Douglas Jardine England skipper during the bodyline tour.
Carr and Jardine 2 ex public schoolboys while supporting characters in the story nevertheless are fascinating contrasting characters Carr the playboy who liked to party and was so fond of a drink he more than once took to the field in an inebriated state after the previous evenings excesses and encouraged those under his charge to be equally enthusiastic drinkers. In fact he turned Larwood who was a tee-totaller before joining Notts into a prodigious drinker in fact Carr always believed a good drink got the best out of Larwood. Jardine on the other hand was a spartan puritanical figure who would frown on any excess behaviour.
A marvellous book a must read for any cricket fan

[Francis Pellow · Rating 4 out of 5]

appropriately pacey sports biography.

[Steve Denton · Rating 4 out of 5]

28/5/10
Only 5"7'. LOved his beer, very good friends with Bill Voce. Notts captain Carr enjoyed social scene. Never liked Bradman and hardly spoke to him for the rest of life. Suffered bad foot injury in last test and only played once in 1933. MCC made him scapegoat and asked him to apologise - never played for England again. Fell out of love with cricket and moved to Blackpool to open a sweetshop.Emigrated to Australia with help of Jack Fingleton. Felt apprehensive but was made very welcome. England tourists always visited his bungalow in Sydney on their tours of Aus. Favourite memorabilia was an ashtray from "A Grateful Skipper". Had to be persuaded to attend any functions. Had very bad relationship with Bradman.

[Peter Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book, an example to other would-be biographers about how it should be done. Beautifully-written, evocative, well-researched and balanced. A must-read for all cricket fans who love their history, and as you read it, search out YouTube videos of Larwood in action. Just a lovely action

[Stephen Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars rounded up to 5)

I had always been fascinated by Bodyline and Harold Larwood, but my knowledge was skin deep. Thanks to Hamilton this is no longer the case.

This is a lively, interesting and well told biography of Larwood, which destroys the unfair way he and bodyline has been painted.

The chapters on the build up to bodyline, the series itself and the aftermath are particularly well told. It gives you an insight into the duplicity of the MCC, what an excellent bowler was and how the furore undermined Larwood's love of cricket.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duncan Hamilton’s Harold Larwood is one of those rare sports biographies that manages to reach far beyond the boundary rope and tell a story about class, loyalty, betrayal, and reconciliation.

Cricket provides the stage, but the real drama is human. Larwood himself, a miner’s son from Nottinghamshire, would never have imagined that his name would become shorthand for the most sensational and divisive Test series ever played, the Bodyline Ashes of 1932–33.

When I read this biography in 2002, Larwood’s ghost was still haunting cricket conversations. It was not the polished voice of a Don Bradman or a Douglas Jardine, but the voice of someone who did his job too well and was made to pay for it. Hamilton rescues him from myth and caricature and restores him as a man, a bowler, and, above all, a human being trapped in the machinery of cricket and empire.

The story begins in Nottinghamshire’s coal mines, where Larwood was born into a world of grit, danger, and working-class solidarity. This origin is not incidental, for Hamilton makes it clear that Larwood’s class was at the core of what later happened to him. He was toughened by mining life and trained his body by shovelling coal and working long shifts underground, and when he turned to cricket, he bowled fast not out of theory but out of a kind of elemental force.

Hamilton evokes this world with vivid detail—the smell of coal dust, the claustrophobia of the mines, and the sense that life was about hard labour and loyalty. From here Larwood ascended into cricket’s elite, but he never lost the sensibility of a miner’s son, which later made him ill-equipped to navigate the political subtleties of the MCC and the old-boy network that ultimately abandoned him.

Hamilton captures with great sympathy the irony of Larwood’s rise. He was a brilliant bowler, fast and hostile, accurate and relentless, a man capable of terrifying the best batsmen in the world. He had earned his England cap not by patronage or background but by sheer force of performance.

When Douglas Jardine, captain of England, conceived his plan to neutralise Bradman and the Australians by using fast, short-pitched bowling aimed at the body with a packed leg-side field—what came to be called Bodyline—Larwood was the obvious spearhead. He executed Jardine’s orders with precision, bowling with courage and skill, taking wickets, and carrying out what his captain had asked. And yet, when the furore exploded, when Australians cried foul and the cricketing world thundered with accusations of unsporting conduct, Larwood was left to bear the brunt.

Hamilton’s narrative does not shy away from the violence of Bodyline, nor does he sentimentalise Larwood’s role. He presents him as what he was: the finest fast bowler of his era, doing his duty. But where the book is strongest is in showing the aftermath, when the MCC distanced itself from its own tactics and left Larwood to twist in the wind. Jardine, the privileged Etonian, walked away untarnished, secure in his class immunity.

Larwood, the miner’s son, was expected to apologise publicly for bowling as instructed. He refused, insisting he had simply carried out orders. This stubborn integrity, this refusal to say sorry for something he had not done wrong, effectively ended his Test career.

He was discarded, left without honour by the very establishment he had served so loyally. The contrast between Jardine’s untouchable aloofness and Larwood’s vulnerability is one of the bitter ironies Hamilton weaves throughout his story.

The biography is more than a lament for a ruined career. Hamilton explores Larwood’s life after Bodyline, the decades of quiet obscurity, his eventual emigration to Australia, and the surprising warmth with which he was received there.

This irony is almost poetic. In England he was marked as a pariah, but in Australia—where once he was reviled as the executioner of Bodyline—he came to be admired, even loved. Australians respected him as a man who had not betrayed his principles and as a bowler of fearsome talent who had given them unforgettable battles.

Hamilton recounts with touching detail how Larwood’s later years in Sydney brought him the peace and recognition that England had denied him. He lived long enough to see his reputation rehabilitated, to be embraced by cricket fans who once despised him, and to feel the sting of bitterness soften into acceptance.

Stylistically, Hamilton writes with a grace and empathy that makes the book more than just a sports biography. He has the journalist’s knack for narrative momentum but also the biographer’s patience for detail. He moves fluidly between match descriptions, personal anecdotes, and historical context. What stands out most is his ability to humanise Larwood, to show him not only as a bowler but as a father, a husband, and a man bewildered by the politics of cricket. There is no hero-worship here, nor any attempt to paint Larwood as a saint. Instead, Hamilton presents him as a man of dignity, loyalty, and occasional stubbornness, who deserved far better than the fate he received.

The biography also engages with larger themes that transcend cricket. It is about class: how the English establishment used and then discarded a working-class man. It is about power: how institutions protect themselves by sacrificing individuals. It is about memory: how a man’s reputation can be twisted in the present but redeemed by history.

Hamilton’s prose makes these themes resonate, reminding us that sport often mirrors society’s deepest divisions. The Bodyline affair was not only about tactics on the field but also about authority, obedience, and the cost of loyalty in a world stratified by class.

For readers already familiar with David Frith’s Bodyline Autopsy, Hamilton’s book feels like a companion piece told in a different register. Where Frith gives the wide-angle panorama of the series and its political fallout, Hamilton zooms in on a single figure, exploring how history’s storms are experienced in the life of one man. The effect is deeply moving. You finish the book not only understanding Bodyline better but also feeling the weight of its consequences in Larwood’s life. He becomes not an abstract villain or victim but a flesh-and-blood human being, who carried both pride and hurt until his dying days.

Hamilton also excels in painting the relationships around Larwood: the complex dynamic with Jardine, whom he respected as a captain but never quite forgave for the aftermath; the affection and loyalty of teammates; the steadfast support of his family during times of strain. These touches give the book warmth and depth. It is not simply about cricket but about the human web that sustains or fails individuals caught in public storms.

Perhaps the most haunting aspect of the biography is its sense of injustice. Larwood’s story is, at bottom, a reminder that those without power are often asked to carry burdens they did not choose. He was ordered to bowl Bodyline; he did so brilliantly; and he was punished for his success.

Yet the book does not end in bitterness. Instead, it finds redemption in Larwood’s later years, in his acceptance in Australia, and in the growing recognition that he was wronged. Hamilton’s closing chapters, describing the old Larwood reflecting on his life, are among the most poignant in cricket writing.

Reading Harold Larwood in 2002 was to feel the past echoing into the present. At a time when cricket was full of its own controversies—match-fixing scandals, aggressive sledging, the commercialisation of the game—Larwood’s story was a reminder that the sport has always wrestled with questions of fairness, integrity, and power.

The book remains a timeless account, not because it romanticises the past but because it tells the truth of one man’s experience with honesty and care.

Duncan Hamilton has written not just the biography of a cricketer but a work of literature that belongs alongside the best of sports writing. It has the sweep of history and the intimacy of memoir, the precision of reportage and the tenderness of empathy.

By the end, Harold Larwood emerges not only as a bowler of ferocious talent but as a symbol of what happens when class, loyalty, and power collide in the world of sport.

It is a story of tragedy tempered by grace, of injustice transformed by memory, and of a man who, though scapegoated in his time, has now taken his rightful place as one of cricket’s most compelling figures.

[Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Very in-depth and forthright with no subject seemingly avoided. Larwood comes across as a very straight forward person to told it how it was and made the best of everything he was given no matter what the situation. I really enjoyed this one and would reccomend it to any cricket fan. I especially enjoyed his opinions on Bodyline and how it was born and created. The collectors definately need this one.

[John Pakey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duncan Hamilton at his finest. His prose takes you through the life of Larwood and you just don’t want it to stop, but it has to. Such is the affection Hamilton makes you feel for Larwood that you cannot come to the end of this book and not feel at least a tinge of emotion. Wonderful stuff.

[Anthony Killeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been fascinated by the Bodyline series since watching the mini series as a boy. I had been wanting to read a Larwood biography for years but this surpassed all expectations. A beautifully written, intelligent biography.

[Lachlan MacCorquodale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Not usually one for biographies but this was supreme in its ability to capture the person that Larwood was and most importantly his struggles with his life after cricket. Whilst the bodyline stuff was interesting, his post cricket career was the highlight of this book.

[David Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, the saddest thing about 'Harold Larwood', by Duncan Hamilton, is that it is likely to be read only (or almost exclusively) by cricket-lovers. This wonderful book deserves a much wider audience. It tells an important story, of significance to all of us, and one that needs to be widely known and understood.

It is also superbly written. Every page glistens with clarity, truth, goodness and fairness. The book's context is one man's part in a short episode in international cricket during the 1930s, but its themes are universal – poverty and privilege; humility and arrogance; decency and dishonesty; loyalty and betrayal; modesty and selfishness – and it has a lot to say about 20th century social history in England, It is quite clear where Duncan Hamilton stands on the issue of 'The Establishment' versus The Common Man; but the writing never becomes polemical, and his views are always firmly rooted in facts. His research is meticulous and impressively thorough, and his telling of Harold Larwood's life story, while always sympathetic and sensitive, is also balanced and objective. He reveals Larwood's fallibilities and weaknesses as well as his immense virtues and achievements. The book's overriding message is about the way a decent, honest, modest man was betrayed and abandoned by the self-serving Establishment, and the long-term consequences for him and his family.

Anyone with even a superficial knowledge of cricket history will know about 'Bodyline.' But few of us (and I include myself here) can truly say they know the full story. We've been brought up on the Establishment's version, which is partial in two senses – incomplete, and biased. That's why this book is so important: it's both objective and comprehensive in its scope.

Duncan Hamilton is a fine story-teller. He knows how to control and unfold a compelling narrative, and his obvious passion for the subject of this book is no obstacle to lucid, persuasive writing. The level of detail is at times simply astonishing, and helps to bring events vividly to life. Even though you may have no interest in cricket, if you care about social justice and simple humanity, and love a good story, I urge you to read this book.

[Jim Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1970s, Lillee and Thompson peppered international batsmen with Australian cricket balls. This was followed by the West Indians, Roberts, Marshall, Walsh, Garner, and Ambrose, from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. All seven bowlers were intimidating and could be vicious on occasion. Prior to these cricketers, there were Larwood and Voce. They intimidated the inimitable Donald Bradman (of all people) and won the Ashes for England.

This book is about Harold Larwood, who rose from miner to England international and was key to the pace attack that implemented Bodyline. Despite his success, he was thrown overboard by English cricket administrators after the losing side complained about the manner of England's victory (it was decided it wasn't the "done thing" after thinking it "absolutely was the done thing" in the immediate aftermath of the victory).

The main focus of the book is naturally Bodyline, but we do learn a lot about Larwood's life on either side of the event, though the events from 1945 to his death in the 1990s were particularly quick and breezy.

The book is a pretty easy read, maybe a little hagiographic, but still quite informative.

[Tony Styles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harold Larwood, the working class hero…

An exceptional read! A must for every cricket fan! Larwood was the quintessential England fast bowler who’s dedication to his craft should be the shining example for every aspiring youngster trying to enter professional cricket. If Larwood passes any message from his post Bodyline life’s struggle, it has got to be, ‘…to thine own-self be true,’ he was. An unputdownable page turner…

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent autobiography of the man at the centre of the Bodyline “scandal” a humble servant who took orders and executed them, took responsibility and lived with the consequences when others chose easier options.

Took me longer to read than it took England to lose the Ashes in Australia this time round

[Tom Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the first two parts intriguing but it dragged slightly in part 3. Still glad I read this as I had no idea about Larwood and his story previously (32 year old)

Have ordered some other Hamilton books on the strength of this one

[Nigel Armitage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent biography of a cricketing great. Forever associated with the 'Bodyline' Ashes series but Larwood's story is about so much more than that. The past is indeed a different country! Really enjoyable.

[Paul O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

MUST READ

This is not the 1st book I've read about the Body line series, but definitely my favourite so far.I highly recommend any lover of cricket with an interest in the history of our great game to read this book i couldn't put it down

[Andrew Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Most enjoyable book. I’ve lived in the Ashfield’s for most of my life and grew up knowing the ”Larwood” story. Reading/listening to the audio books helps you understand what a humble man he was. And how being so humble the system/suites shafted him for doing the job he was asked to do.

[Mark Suffern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disgracefully treated,mistreated by most of those in charge of cricket at the MCC.Never mind the nonsense about slave ownership by an ancestor,this should be enough to have the Warner stand renamed as the Jardine/Larwood stand.

[David Besser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensational

[Sue Sjuve]

a good read, a bit on the long side

[Sue Chant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chatty and entertaining read giving insights into the great man and of course the "bodyline" series and his appalling treatment afterwards. A bit sentimental in places but overall very enjoyable

[PAUL · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant biography by a brilliant writer. Does 'Lol' Larwood full justice with this masterful account of his life and times.

Highly recommended.

[Kathryn Castles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful biography. Doesn't quite get to grips with all Larwood's choices when his career was threatened, but really loves its subject and is very moving as it heads towards his end.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of sport you will love this book, regardless of whether or not you like cricket.

[Brad King · Rating 5 out of 5]

The greatest sports book I’ve ever read. Truly Nottinghamshire’s finest man, what a legend!