I am Harold Larwood's granddaughter and yes, everything that Geoffrey says is true. I really appreciate all the comments below.

He was a legend and one of the best fast bowlers ever. The MCC should hang their head in shame after the way they treated that great man. I’m so pleased he never, ever apologised in his life. Good on you Harold. My you rest in peace

The HAPPY ending is that Larwood found, to his surprise, that Australians really like him, held no resentment and treated him as a champion.

Harold Larwood was one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time and had he been able to play more test matches he'd have had hundreds and hundreds of wickets to his name. The way the MCC treated him after that Ashes series was disgusting.

Harold Larwood was one of the UK's finest sportsmen ever. I'm sure his family are as proud of him as they ought to be.

Read Larwood's book. More class than the rest of them put together. And the way he describes his innings of 98!

Say what you like about Boycs, he does a very good job with these mini-profiles.

Larwood was working class and Jardine was upper class - what more can be said - the foot soldiers pay the price and sadly he was not the only one - i hope he enjoyed the sunshine out here, he deserved it!!

English treated him like dirt, while the Aussies gave him respect when he settled in Australia. England should be ashamed of the way they treated this gem!

It is sad for Harold Larwood he should never have been ostracized the way he was. Jardine and the MCC should have been the ones apologising.

The whole history of amateurism in high level sport is about exclusion. It's the reason Rugby League exists. When working class professional Fred Perry first won Wimbledon, he heard the Wimbledon club captain in the next room saying to the beaten finalist " sorry about that old chap, wrong man won". Needless to say, the 'right' man was an amateur toff. When Fred Perry died, his family sold off his memorabilia rather than give it to Wimbledon because of the way they treated Him - quite right too!

"what's changed? It is the same today, they are only interested in money" Bocott comment and punchline are so poignant in his Yorkshire accent.

What a celebration of the spirit of cricket and of professional sport that Fingleton hand-held Larwood and family into Australia, so that Larwood could live out his days in peace and gain unexpected admiration and love from a cricket-playing nation. The gentlemen weren't always amateurs; there were Fingletons too.

Geoffrey Boycott, great batsman and disliked to this day by the ruling classes of cricket, his sin ......he is blunt and speaks the truth, something a lot of people in this age of ''back slappers'' dont like !! Of course yet again Geoff speaks the truth, yes a disgrace the way that Harold Larwood was treated and its also a disgrace that Boycott is not involved in helping to run English Cricket, especially in the coaching of batting for the England side, similar to the way that another great Yorkshire player, Fred Trueman was frozen out by the establishment .

He was a true great ,who in the modern era would be a superstar in all forms of cricket. I met him at our Street party in 1977 in Nottingham,when he came to the Centenary test at Trent Bridge from Australia. He was small slight man and very quiet.He would not say anything about himself but did say Dennis Lillee was the best bowler of those times.Why was he at our Street party? Because it was named after him,Larwood Grove,and I am very proud I met him.

Harold Larwood absolute legend of cricket.

Thanks Geoffrey. I never I knew that Larwood was treated so badly and that the bodyline series was his last. Sad indeed.. Boycott, never favored you as a batsman (as a WI supporter u were d enemy)but now I love your insightful and objective commentary. You are the best.

A fantastic fast bowler,possibly the fastest bowler ever for his height. If you want to know more about Harold, read the book by Duncan Hamilton, a great read.

I've read a lot about Harold larwood and he was my hero.... Not a tall man but same as me but he was quick... I'm not going to harp on except tell you this..... I made a trip especially to see his statue and I'm not a shed to say that having read his autobiography I t brought tears to my eyes... Forever my hero. Harold a true, honest hard working bloke and yes you took the flak for doing as you was asked in Australia...

Harold Larwood was also an accomplished batsman, scoring 70 in the first Test of the 1928/29 series and 98 in the last Test of the 1932/33 series. Later in the 1930s he was playing for the county solely for his batting ability. Allen and Warner were very unpleasant and selfish men.

The best short explanation of body line I've ever heard

a great legend they were very unfair to him.

Larwood is still remembered as much as Bradman

Met Lol a few times, he was quiet, unassuming & modest, his pal Bill Voce was the outspoken one. How such a small man like him could bowl at 90MPH+ I will never know. Coming from 'Nuncar' myself, he will always be my hero.

A third grade cricket game being played at Kensington Oval Sydney home of the UNSW team. A young player is being belted around the place and watching the game was an elderly gentleman who was a regular at the games. The old man comes down to the fence and says to the young bowler sonny take my advice shorten your run up, try pitching the ball in more and turn side on a bit more, yeah yeah whatever old man was the bowlers reply. Later after the days play the young bowler mentioned the old pommy bloke trying to tell me how to bowl, his team manager replied Well maybe you should take his advice Do you know who that old poms is?? Harold Larwood!!!!

If Larwood was playing today he would, without doubt be regarded as the best fast bowler in the world........Imagine a bowler as fast as Brett Lee, but much more accurate.........He had a better bouncer than Thompson, was more accurate than McGrath, could swing it both ways and move it both ways off the pitch...... My now dead uncle saw Larwood bowl for Nottinghamshire when they played Glamorgan in Wales. My uncle was only 10 at the time but it made a lasting impression on him. Lance formed a friendship with Harold nearly 5 decades later. He would go around to Larwoods house in Sydney 2x a year and spend the afternoon drinking tea and talking together...He told me that Harold was a thorough gentleman!

I never liked Boycott, " a one-man show" but listening to him speak of Larwood, and seeing his papable reaction to the way he was treated, blew me away, behind that hubris, is a man that actually cares.

It is a great pity we didn't have the Cricket Academy going when Larwood emigrated... Imagine what Australian quicks would be like if we had Larwood teaching them how to bowl! And yes, we would have employed him as a bowling coach.

Great bowler and family man...working class hero.

Genuinely interesting I read Harold Larwood book a few years ago it was an exciting time in cricket

Well said Mr. Boycott!

quite quick, what an understatement.

The Adelaide test,one of two tests which I could go back in time to watch,the other the 1902 test at the Oval

Disgraceful how the cricket establishment treated Harold. The public schoolboys certainly look after their own.

Harold used to go to the South Sydney Leagues club and did my parents They saw him a few times.

The Greatest #XI of All Time 1 Jack Hobbs 2 Barry Richards 3 Don Bradman (C.) 4 Sachin Tendulkar 5 Viv Richards 6 Gary Sobers 7 Adam Gilchrist (W.) 8 Shane Warne 9 Wasim Akram 10 Dennis Lillee 11 Sydney Barnes 12th: Malcolm Marshall. Substitutes: ( W.G Grace , Brian Lara , Imran Khan , Muttiah Muralitharan , Fred Trueman )

Amazing story from the past, thanks for the upload!

Great to hear this history and put it all into context.

My all-time greats England XI is as follows: Hobbs Cook Hammond Root Compton Botham Knott Larwood Underwood Anderson Barnes I would note that the first three picks I went for were Hobbs, Larwood and Barnes. That underlines the greatness of the Wrecker!

Amazing.a player being used & then made the scapegoat.why should he apologise. Things put in perspective by the great Boycott.always a pleasure to listen when he speaks.no roobish there.

Well said Sir G B from the White Rose County. Thank you from all of us from the Red Rose County. We pretend, we hate each other. But true to heart, we love each other.

When I was a young quick bowler Harold Larwood was one of my greatest heros. Very fast with a beautiful run up and action. His treatment at the hands of the English cricket establishment was cruel and shameful. He was a hero in that series and should always be regarded as such.

there is atleast one thing boycott and chapelli would agree upon. That is that administrators are and in most cases been only interestedin money

A disgusting saga. Larwood sent to Coventry over cash. The establishment never change. They could have just changed to 2 behind square and pick him and let him take his chances.

Hi. I'm browsing my great great uncleYes.we have the same surname ( Larwood) That's my favourite thing about my name (:

Shocking the treatment of some of our sporting heroes , he was right not to apologize ! Though it obviously got him into trouble with the cricket authorities , good on the Australian batsman who helped him emigrate ! A great shame that they turned their back on him .

The thing that induces the most puke is that Harold Larwood was ordered to apologise to the MCC (not to the Australians).

Brilliant as Larwood was in that series, England would not have won the Ashes without Eddie Peynter's super courageous innings in the 4th test in Brisbane, so Geoffrey is wrong about Larwood being the sole reason England won the Ashes. Plus, it needed England's batsmen to stand up in the first test after Stan McCabe's immortal innings, and Sutcliffe, Hammond and the Nawab of Pataudi all did (stand up). No England team has ever won in Australia without outstanding batting, and 1932-33 was no exception.

After the Bodyline serires, Douglas Jardine did follow the same bodyline techniques against the Indians.

Totally agree,with your comments

There is also a mini series called Bodyline produced by BBC. Shows how Harold Larwood a coal miner became a world famous Test Bowler.

Sir Geoffrey at his very best. A cricket legend, of course, but first and foremost a proper cricket lover. Excellent.

The greatest quick this country has ever produced 👏

Wonderful fast bowler with a silky smooth action. So glad he stood firm and refused to do the 'forelock tugging' routine and allow the G&T club 'hypocrites' to wriggle off the hook and save face.

Great words on larwood

The way the MCC hounded him was beyond shameful. A bunch of spineless people bullying a champion, but one who was weak and powerless in a feudal society. They didn’t deserve a champion like him

Spot on, great comment.

There was picture made or serial called Bodyline, it portrayed him negatively.

Seriously quick and accurate. England's best quick bowler, treated terribly by the establishment, no wonder he emigrated.

The British really have a way of rewarding their real heroes..Robert Clive.. larwood..Alan Turing...🤔

Larwood’s treatment remains a scandal.

Larwood took 78 wickets in 21 tests from 1926 in ashes in England until early 1933 end of bodyline series. 33 of those wickets were in 5 bodyline tests. He took 8 wickets in his first test in Australia 4 years earlier in Brisbane. That leaves 37 wickets in his other 15 tests against all opposition, albeit mostly Australia. He was either ineffective or injured in rest of maiden ashes tour down under in that aforementioned 1928-29 series, and Bradman tore him apart in 193O in England. Whether he would go down as one of the all time great fast bowlers over a whole career was never fully tested just as it wasn't fully tested with South African Barry Richards who only played four tests. One thing is for sure: Video evidence suggests that Jeff Thomson is still consistently the fastest recorded bowler of all time and he was recorded on a day he was a little off colour in Perth in late1975 against West Indies when - a rarity in that season and the previous ashes summer - Roy Fredricks and Clive Lloyd smashed him all over the place. That was 42 years ago, so there is no reason to think that no one could have bowled genuinely fast 42 years before that, which takes us back approximately to Bodyline. For Jardine's purpose Larwood was able to bowl fast, and accurately into the body and head regions when helmets were still some 35 years away and that would have been terrifying. How well he would have fared over a career when helmets were normal and obviously bodyline banned is a matter that only God will ever know. He was certainly great in that series for what his captain needed and it won England the ashes, the only time during Bradman's 2O year career, save the Don's debut series as a 2O year old. He would have been 3O when Australia toured England in 1934 had he been allowed to play and not allowed to bowl Bodyline but that is superfluous as he was only ever doing what his captain, Jardine, ordered him in the first place. Gubby Allen had the luxury of refusing to bowl bodyline as he was an amateur and his living did not depend on the game, unlike Larwood and Voce. Gubby Allen captained England on following Ashes tour down under in 1936-37. It was a different era for all cricket, especially English cricket.

Sad story..

I don't know why in subcontinent he considered as villain. Bowler can bowl as he wish ( he is not delivering beamer), just because he didn't allow to play Bradman in his comfort zone he was considered as villain. Larwood is the greatest in my eye

It was a brilliant tactical decision by Doughlas Jardine. If they hadn't stopped Bradman, they wouldn't have had a chance. Larwood was a victim of politics. The man deserved much better.

Kept Bradman to average of 50, an amazing statement from one of the worlds greatest ever batsmen .......... Never see the like of Bradman again n I am English.

Shocking treatment of Larwood. Bradman wouldn't have the average he ended up with if he was about in later years, just look at Thompson, Lillee and the West Indies battery of quicks. Just bowling length balls at off stump was fodder for Bradman, not sure he would average what he does with these guys sending him rip snorters down all day long, as was proved in the 'Bodyline' series.

Respect where respects due. Hats off to Mr. Boycott.

Harold Larwood just followed his captain's orders. Surely he could have done a lot more.

Had no idea that Larwood was ordered to apologise. That is sickening. And the great Jardine didn't back him up... what a wonderful example of gentlemanly behaviour. What scum they were! Larwood was a great bowler and the whole Bodyline thing was ridiculous. Aus didn't complain until after 3rd Test. They never apologise for anything that happens on a cricket pitch if it's done by them. Apologise for Thommo and his homicidal tendencies? Of course not, they were winning. The only International team to finish a match bowling under arm to make sure they won.

my HERO HAROLD LARWOOD, the best of best, comes to something when aussies treated him better like one of their own.

Horrible Bradman, even when Larwood moved to Australia, always held a grudge against him while other Australian cricketers held him in high regard for decades after.

Harold Larwood took 33 wickets in Bodyline series.

Its a shame that.a quality fast bowler like Douglas jardine has to end his career due to board politics I dont think he made any mistake . It was part of the game plan .So he ever need to apologize any one, even in heaven .

British class hypocracy at its worst.

Greatest bowler for me

Ian Chappell, the only Australian captain not to have been invited to be a member of the snobs club, the MCC supports Boycott completely. He accused the 32/33 Australian team of being whiners and whingers, Bradman in particular. Luckily for Bradman he only faced one genuinely fast bowler in a 20 year career - Larwood. There have been no Australian complaints about Lindwall and Miller, Thomson and Lillee, or more recently Lee, Johnson, Starc or Cummins!

body line was all about destroying the confidence of the batsman and create a fear of getting hit

Wonder why Geoffrey pokes his tongue out every 10 seconds.

Really? Stralians aren't sportsmen? Pot, meat Kettle... (I know we can be un-sportsman like at times, but this is true of a minority in all countries). Actually, Australia applauded Larwood when he batted during the 5th test in Sydney, I remember reading a comment by Larwood that he couldn't believe it. England on the other hand treaded Larwood how? He moved out here to Australia later in his life... Great bowler, not the best, but the best England had at that time as far as I am aware.

Larwood was right, he did nothing wrong

Nothings changed, if you are from money and attended a private school you can do pretty much what you want with no consequences, if you are working class you can expect to take the blame for everything.

What happened to Larwood after the 1932 - 33 series, is a reflection of the hypocrisy of the MCC , which used him to implement the vicious plan and then advised him to apologise for the same deed. Note that the Captain ie Jardine was spared this humiliation. There are details that make me conclude that the MCC was the real culprit ; for time and space constraints, I have not mentioned those here.

I know about Gallipoli, I know we were part of a much bigger operation. I know we played a small part in it. You have to remember however, that it was the first time Australia as a nation went to war, so at least give us that. Some people over embellish our part, I know. The UK has a much longer tradition of war than us, but that's OK, we are still young. There really are sportsman here, don't believe everything you see on the TV. We love the rivalry during the Ashes, I loved 2005 too...

Shit on by the M.C.C. for following his captains orders. One of the greatest bowlers ever, Should be posthumously awarded an honour by the new King. Get stuck into it Sir Geoffrey.

As you say what they did to Harold Larwood was disgusting. Apologise for what - Lille and Thomson never apologised.

Boy! Bodyline. As a kid knocking it about in the 70s, that series seemed other worldly. Akin to JFK assassination. You had to be careful what you said about it. Time hasn't changed it's status. Personally I think a bowler should aim at the stumps but I have no problem with the test of courage. Intimadory bowling! Shows how difficult the umpires job can be

Very sad...

That was harsh

I still play, refuse to wear helmet. Always believe in Leg theory. It is a two way street. GB of the White Rose County, loves from the Red Rose 🌹 County. Absolutely true. Has truth got a place. I still play, tell my lads to ball quick, swing, intimidate and play hard as you can. Why all nations can do and us English are frowned upon. Perhaps when we put our heads together we had, we can, we have and we shall rule the world. The Empire where the Sun refuses to set.

Interesting that Boycs wanted to become an administrator at Yorkshire recently, His reasoning was that YCCC was in debt and needed to get onto a more even keel, financially. So, he was becoming an administrator more interested in money.Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Sorry sir. Sorry sorry sorry sir.

Woodfull was felled by a blow to the heart, almost provoking a riot. After Woodfull was dismissed, English manager Plum Warner came to privately express his sympathy, to which Woodfull famously replied "I do not want to see you, Mr Warner. There are two teams out there. One is playing cricket and the other is not."[2][3][4][5] England completed a convincing 4-1 victory, but Woodfull was much praised for his stoic public behaviour. I remember back in the seventies and early eighties glued to the TV watching the ashes here in Australia over summer. I remember Geoff boycott and Ian bothham, batting sometimes , more like alot of times, it was slow because poor Geoff just used to block all the time , him and boycott were the same very hard to get out . The days when Lillie, pascoe , Thompson , Lawson was bowling , pace. Then there was bob Willis bowling pace fore the poms. Underwood , Gower, knott illinworth , 8 ball overs too. Oh then there was the rest day half way though the match Now cricket is ruined with this stupid tip and run pajama party garbage. I'd prefer to watch two 5 match test cricket series than these tip and run . Just wondering , Mr boycott, if you are kind enough to reply who would you think would have been as good as bowler over the last fifty years with accuracy and pace as larwood . Geoff Thompson, or Thomo would come horribly close , perhaps Marshall or b8g bird garner Thank you Mr boycott for your time if you find time to reply

The game was still largely amateur sport in that era and the tactics introduced by England changed the sport. They might have won the series but lost respect and damaged the spirit of the game. Effective & ruthless but just not cricket.

Only good bowling bodyline, Bradman.smashed over 200 against him before hand when Larwood was playing orthodox cricket

I have always liked Boycott his truth telling I like. Never popular with the establishment

Sir Geoffrey Lord Boycott of Fitzwilliam

Disgusting treatment. Today’s sportsmen should watch this to know how lucky they are mcc sjouod apologise

Geuss boms when i hear your voice SIR.. Love From India..

Very British to throw the Knight under the bus.