14 Facts About Johnny Wardle

Johnny Wardle was an English spin bowling cricketer whose Test Match career lasted between 1948 and 1957.

John Henry Wardle was born in Ardsley, Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire.

Johnny Wardle was able, when circumstances allowed, to bowl slow left-arm wrist-spin and did so at the highest level.

Johnny Wardle was a dangerous left-handed hitter, whose stocky build permitted him to drive powerfully.

Johnny Wardle only played one match in 1946, when the 43-year-old Arthur Booth's economy rate saw him head the averages, but when Booth fell ill with arthritis, Johnny Wardle took his place.

In spite of a dry summer in 1947, Johnny Wardle was chosen for a largely experimental, Gubby Allen-led, Marylebone Cricket Club tour of the West Indies.

Johnny Wardle was disappointing on that tour, but his skill developed in the wet summer of the following year.

In 1951, Johnny Wardle was unsuccessful in challenging Jim Laker and Roy Tattersall for a Test spin bowling place.

However, with Bob Appleyard hit by illness, Johnny Wardle's workrate reached such levels in the following two seasons that his total of 20,723 balls delivered in these two seasons, has been beaten only by Tich Freeman, and his 11,084 balls in 1952, is the fourth-highest aggregate ever delivered.

On that tour, Johnny Wardle claimed 90 first-class wickets at 12 runs apiece.

Johnny Wardle made this announcement, and Yorkshire responded by dropping Johnny Wardle for the Roses Match with Lancashire.

Johnny Wardle was big enough to admit his troubles were largely of his own making, and any ill feelings on his part was forgotten when he helped Yorkshire and England off-spinner Geoff Cope to iron out the problems in his action, which had occasionally had him 'called' for throwing.

Consequently, Johnny Wardle played the rest of his cricket as a professional in the Lancashire League for Nelson and Rishton, and until 1969 with Cambridgeshire in the Minor Counties Championship.

Johnny Wardle died, after never recovering from an operation on a brain tumour, in Hatfield, Doncaster, Yorkshire, in July 1985, at the age of 62.