Bodyline

[Legion]

I don't want to see you, Mr Warner. There are two teams out there. One is trying to play cricket and the other is not.

I find this absolutely fascinating. Anyone know where I can obtain the 5-part BBC series shown many years ago?

[bob rowe]

Some of the episodes are on U Tube.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Douglas Jardine is not given the recognition he deserves. He was a great captain and a winner.

[tomd2103]

Douglas Jardine is not given the recognition he deserves. He was a great captain and a winner.

True Andy, but the way that Harold Larwood was hung out to dry after that series was one of the most shameful episodes in English sport.

[He wears a magic hat]

Ive been trying for years. u can get them on ebay but it is australian dvd and u need a multi region player i think.

but i have just watched all 6 episodes on u tube. superb

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I have next to no interest in cricket but read the Harold Larwood biography.I can't recommend it highly enough.

The Aussies hated him and with reason, he was English and bloody brilliant.

[leylandalbion]

Remember from my childhood!  excellent series...surely the beeb will repeat with back 2 back ashes coming up?   just remember the keeper with steaks in his glove 

[Jon Crofts]

Anything that annoys the convicts should be positively encouraged and rewarded.

[tricky59]

On the subject of Jardine, it appeared he was quite happy to face bodyline bowling.  Read the Wisden report of the Manchester test the summer following the bodyline series. 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151776.html

[Kingthing]

Watching Bodyline as a kid got me into Cricket, I loved it, I used to pretend to be Harold Larwood. Funnily enough He emigrated to Australia in 1950.

[paul_e]

I feel sorry for Larwood, he just came 60-70 years too soon, nowadays he'd be revered as one of the top bowlers in the world, watching this does make you realise why they have all the protective gear now though, imagine facing the west indies from the 80s in the kit they were wearing back in the bodyline tour.

It's also interesting to see the changes that this caused to the way batsmen prepare as well, at the time it was pretty uncommon to be strong on the leg side, now it's almost a requirement at international level.  In that regard this is probably as big a moment in the development of the sport as anything that has ever happened.

[OzVilla]

Ah Bodyline, sports longest running whinge.

And they have the front to accuse us of being moaners. 

[rob_bridge]

Very good series on the beeb was that only able to get patches of it on Youtube.

Larwood was treated disgracefully and took over 60 years to get his MBE.

[PeterWithesShin]

I watched it on TV years ago, must have been midish 80's. Even though i'm not much of a cricket fan I did enjoy it. Can only remember bits of it though, someone (Larwood?) bowling at bins as a kid.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Just found the book, 'Harold Larwood' by Duncan Hamilton.

It won the William Hill 2009 Sports Book of the Year and rightly so.
Not only a great cricket book but a brilliant insight into the social history in the UK.