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Johnny Wardle vs Hugh Tayfield
- Thread starter Archer6K
- Start date
Line and Length
International Coach
Wardle is an oft forgotten bowler whose average (20.39) is the lowest of any spin bowler who has played 20 or more Tests.
He had the unique ability to bowl both left arm orthodox and left arm wrist spin.
In 56/57 Wardle took 100 wickets in South Africa including 26 @ 13.61 in 4 Tests. Tayfield also starred in this series, playing all 5 Tests and claiming 37 wickets @ 17.19
Tayfield wasn't a huge turner of the ball but was renowned for his accuracy. Surprisingly, Wardle has a marginally better economy rate.
If we simply look at their first class careers, Wardle took 1846 wickets @ 18.97 in 412 matches while Tayfield had 864 wickets @ 21.86 in 187 matches.
These two fine bowlers are difficult to separate but I lean slightly towards the Yorkshireman. Their rankings in the CW poll of spinners a year or so ago ranks Tayfield at 7 and Wardle at 24. I see this as an injustice.
He had the unique ability to bowl both left arm orthodox and left arm wrist spin.
In 56/57 Wardle took 100 wickets in South Africa including 26 @ 13.61 in 4 Tests. Tayfield also starred in this series, playing all 5 Tests and claiming 37 wickets @ 17.19
Tayfield wasn't a huge turner of the ball but was renowned for his accuracy. Surprisingly, Wardle has a marginally better economy rate.
If we simply look at their first class careers, Wardle took 1846 wickets @ 18.97 in 412 matches while Tayfield had 864 wickets @ 21.86 in 187 matches.
These two fine bowlers are difficult to separate but I lean slightly towards the Yorkshireman. Their rankings in the CW poll of spinners a year or so ago ranks Tayfield at 7 and Wardle at 24. I see this as an injustice.
Several bowlers from the low-scoring 1950s boast stats that exceed their reputations. A high proportion of Wardle's wickets with wrist spin came during the 1956-57 tour to South Africa. Even by the standards of the day it was very much a bowlers' series.
Wardle was accurate in this style, but didn't come off the pitch as sharply as regular wrist-spinners and was hardly ever asked to bowl it in England. For orthodox left-arm spin Tony Lock was often preferred.
Tayfield has good figures in all four countries where he appeared, but opponents didn't rate him. Cowdrey claimed he never found him dangerous. Delivering from close to the stumps Tayfield's off-break didn't turn much, as noted earlier, and he bowled a lot of away-drifters, wearing batsmen down with his accuracy while benefitting from exceptional fielding. In a defensive era batsmen did not often take him on. When they did, he was immediately withdrawn from the attack.
Based purely on reputation, Ernie Vogler was South Africa's leading spinner.
Wardle was accurate in this style, but didn't come off the pitch as sharply as regular wrist-spinners and was hardly ever asked to bowl it in England. For orthodox left-arm spin Tony Lock was often preferred.
Tayfield has good figures in all four countries where he appeared, but opponents didn't rate him. Cowdrey claimed he never found him dangerous. Delivering from close to the stumps Tayfield's off-break didn't turn much, as noted earlier, and he bowled a lot of away-drifters, wearing batsmen down with his accuracy while benefitting from exceptional fielding. In a defensive era batsmen did not often take him on. When they did, he was immediately withdrawn from the attack.
Based purely on reputation, Ernie Vogler was South Africa's leading spinner.
Coronis
Hall of Fame Member
Speaking of players who played in bowling eras…
Also seems another case of a bowler “wearing down batsmen with accuracy” being underrated compared to flashy counterparts, despite their effectiveness. (not talking about Tayfield vs Vogler just Tayfield vs other contemporary players, based off what Cowdrey said)
Wardle's home conditions were vicious. Other than home and that RSA series he takes basically 2WPM, but didn't seem to do too much wrong in limited games. Working out what combination of lucky to get easy conditions and unlucky not to get more games he was is tricky.
Where do you read about cricket?
Roy McLean's book Pitch and Toss is a good source for the 1956-57 SA v E series. He played in all five Tests for the hosts.
Coronis
Hall of Fame Member
English selection policy during this period seems quite poor, especially for bowlers. We all know about Trueman (67/120), hell Laker played 46 matches out of 94 between his debut and final test. Bedser 51/81, Statham 70/136, Lock 49/146.
Perhaps I’m missing some long term injuries or cases such as Cummins idk.
BazBall21
International Captain
Bedser had documented injury/illness issues. Not sure if any of the others persistently suffered from the same. They had a lot of bench strength and those English 50s pitches were basically kind to every type of bowler so they did a lot of rotation and in Trueman's case it wasn't always cricketing matters.
Statham seems an inoffensive character by all accounts and was a consistent performer. Seems weird if he was dropped frequently.
Maybe Ken Higgs too
England's peak between 1952 and 1958 took in eleven series and fifty Tests. Eight series were won, three drawn and none lost.
The three automatic choices during most of this period were May (47 appearances), Evans (46) and all-rounder Bailey (42) who balanced the side while taking up one of the bowling slots.
Appearances of the bowlers:
Fast/Medium: Bailey 42, Statham 32, Trueman 21, Bedser 13, Tyson 13, Loader 11, Don Smith 3, Watkins 3, Moss 2, Brown 1, Palmer 1
Off-break: Laker 31, Appleyard 9, McConnon 2, Oakman 2, Tattersall 2, Titmus 2, Illingworth 1
Slow left arm: Lock 25, Wardle 24
Leg-break: Jenkins 2
The quicker bowlers peaked at different times. Bedser was rested for the 1954 West Indies tour. Also, along with Bailey, for a home Test against Pakistan which England lost. In their place debuts were given to Tyson and Loader with a forthcoming Ashes trip in mind. Evans batted at six in this match, giving an even longer tail than usual.
Lock and Wardle shared the left-arm spin duties. When an English pitch was expected to turn Lock was generally preferred. After the West Indies tour, he was not considered likely to be as effective abroad. Nor was Laker, whose confidence against the best attacking batsmen was regarded by Hutton as suspect.
Statham when available at his peak was an automatic choice.
The three automatic choices during most of this period were May (47 appearances), Evans (46) and all-rounder Bailey (42) who balanced the side while taking up one of the bowling slots.
Appearances of the bowlers:
Fast/Medium: Bailey 42, Statham 32, Trueman 21, Bedser 13, Tyson 13, Loader 11, Don Smith 3, Watkins 3, Moss 2, Brown 1, Palmer 1
Off-break: Laker 31, Appleyard 9, McConnon 2, Oakman 2, Tattersall 2, Titmus 2, Illingworth 1
Slow left arm: Lock 25, Wardle 24
Leg-break: Jenkins 2
The quicker bowlers peaked at different times. Bedser was rested for the 1954 West Indies tour. Also, along with Bailey, for a home Test against Pakistan which England lost. In their place debuts were given to Tyson and Loader with a forthcoming Ashes trip in mind. Evans batted at six in this match, giving an even longer tail than usual.
Lock and Wardle shared the left-arm spin duties. When an English pitch was expected to turn Lock was generally preferred. After the West Indies tour, he was not considered likely to be as effective abroad. Nor was Laker, whose confidence against the best attacking batsmen was regarded by Hutton as suspect.
Statham when available at his peak was an automatic choice.
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Line and Length
International Coach
Not so much his personality but his preparedness to speak out against the establishment.
Although in the favourable conditions of 1958 Wardle was successful, friction between him and the Yorkshire committee, became intolerable when Wardle announced he would write an article in the Daily Mail, that was openly critical of the running of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Although MCC had chosen Wardle for the coming Ashes tour, they withdrew immediately. Wardle made this announcement, and Yorkshire responded by dropping Wardle for the Roses match with Lancashire. They never recalled him.
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.
shortpitched713
Cricketer Of The Year
Garry Sobers says hi.