Already, Frederick Sewards Trueman gives promise of becoming a second Harold Larwood. His successes against India in the 1952 Test matches provided the chief cricket topic of the summer. Who will forget the scoreboard showing four wickets lost by India and not a run scored? Who could forget his bowling in the third Test at Manchester, where India were put out for 58 and Trueman took eight wickets for only 31 runs?
Fred Trueman made a spectacular arrival on the Test scene in 1952. His impact earned him a place as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 1953.
Some of the India batsmen visibly retreated before his onslaught, and though a rain-affected pitch helped the bowler considerably, it must be admitted that Trueman’s speed, length and direction were beautifully controlled. It was a spell of bowling only to be compared with Larwood at his very best.
After the game, one of the England Test selectors said, “Trueman will be thinking that fast bowling is easy.” He added, “I would like him to get one wicket for 100 in the first innings of the Oval Test, and three wickets for 60 in the second innings. It would give a balance to things.” However, Trueman again did well. He claimed both the opening batsmen, Mankad and Roy, made a splendid diving catch at short leg to dismiss Adhikari from the bowling of Bedser, and in India’s final total of 98, Trueman had captured five wickets for 48 runs.
During the 1952 season, Trueman was frequently no-balled by the umpires for ‘dragging’. He had difficulty in getting boots able to take the strain imposed on them. He sprained an ankle when playing for the RAF, and during the Test matches at Manchester and The Oval, he showed a distressing tendency to get ‘stitch’. These troubles have mostly been cleared. Special boots have been made; the ankle injury was due to a bad foothold; and the ‘stitch’ was diagnosed as nothing more than a lack of regular fast bowling exercise.
It is doubtful whether Trueman has reached the stage of physical development to bowl the long spells which may be necessary against Test batsmen of the highest class. In Yorkshire they think it will be two more seasons before Trueman can do everything asked.
In Trueman, however, England certainly possess the best fast bowling prospect in years. His long run-up to the bowling crease with a smooth gathering of momentum for the delivery is reminiscent of Larwood. Like Larwood also, he is stock, strong in the back and very lively with the opening new ball of the innings. He has the speed, too, and above all this forthright, outspoken young man has the determination to succeed.
As Wisden predicted, Fred Trueman went on to become a fast-bowling great. He was the first man to take 300 Test wickets. He took 307 at 21.57 in all, in 67 matches
