Career Bruce Yardley

1 career

1.1 emergence spin bowler
1.2 1977-78 test bowler
1.3 1978 tour of west indies

1.3.1 throwing controversy


1.4 1978-79 ashes
1.5 pakistan
1.6 1979 tour of india
1.7 form slump
1.8 1980-81 comeback
1.9 international cricketer of year
1.10 1982 tour of new zealand
1.11 1982 tour of pakistan
1.12 1982-83 ashes
1.13 end of test career
1.14 comeback

career

bruce yardley began playing grade cricket midland-guildford fast medium bowler.

he made first-class cricket debut in 1966-67, taking 1 wicket against queensland. west australia blessed fast bowlers during period , struggled find permanent spot, playing in 2 games on 6 seasons. (the second game came against victoria @ waca in 1970-71.)

in 1971 yardley began developing abilities spin bowler , worked on batting. gained selection wa batsman in 1973-74. scored 43 not out against touring new zealanders in 1974. bowl well.

in 1973-74 scored quick fire 59 in gillette cup game, helping wa beat nsw.

in 1974-75 played west australia batsman.

after decade in first-class cricket yardley had 14 first-class matches, scoring 246 runs @ 14.47 , picking 6 wickets @ 61.83. had bowled 923 deliveries (153.5 six-ball overs).

emergence spin bowler

1976-77 yardley s breakthrough season became full-time spinner. took 2-44 , 3-40 against south australia, scoring useful 35 runs. 2 games later against nsw took 6-62 made 97 not out.

for season scored 171 runs @ 28.50 , picked 19 wickets @ 25.73.

1977-78 test bowler

in 1977-78 australian test team had lost number of leading players world series cricket. tony mann tried spinner dropped after 4 tests.

yardley had strong domestic season. scored 51 in 65 minutes in game against south australia, took 7-44. saw him leap contention spinners spot fifth test, other contenders being jim higgs , graham whyte.

yardley ended being selected both fifth test against india , tour of west indies.

yardley s test debut promising. 1 of 4 australians playing in first test, made useful scores of 22 , 26 , although went wicketless in first innings, took 4-134 in second, helping bowl australia victory.

1978 tour of west indies

yardley enjoyed considerable success in west indies, forming notable spin combination jim higgs.

he began tour well, taking 5 wickets against leeward islands, including second innings return of 4-91. followed 9 wickets against trinidad , tobago, 4-51 , 5-89.

this saw him selected in first test team higgs. took 3 wickets, australia lost innings.

there discussion yardley miss second test ended playing. yardley had excellent game bat, scoring 74 off 73 runs in australia s first innings , 47 in second. bowled 2 overs, in australian defeat.

yardley went wicketless in tour game against guyana , injured while batting, retiring hurt 37. recovered play in third test australian victory. yardley took 3 wickets , made 33 , 15 not out; latter innings crucial helped australia pass west indies total. did find bob simpson preferred bowl himself other yardley.

yardley took 6 wickets in game against windward islands. in 4th test yardley took 1-48 , 4-40 australia collapsed in second innings , lost game.

throwing controversy

yardley encountered controversy in tour match against jamaica when twice no-balled throwing umpire douglas sang hue. marred fine game him took 5-63 in second innings , score of 15 bat helped australia win 2 wickets.

in fifth test yardley bowled australia victory second innings figures of 4-35 game ended in riot.

yardley finished series 206 runs @ 29.42 , 15 wickets @ 25.13. 1 of teams best performers on tour , firmly established first choice off spinner.

1978-79 ashes

yardley kept place first test of 78-79 ashes. had poor game, taking 1 wicket, although first innings score @ 17 did arrest australian collapse.

his batting ensured kept place in second test on higgs; took 4 wickets. yardley not selected next 2 games. recalled fifth test, in took no wickets.

in sixth test yardley took 2 wickets although top scored in australia s second innings knock of 61. , higgs famously opened bowling in england s second innings.

pakistan

yardley dropped again australia s next game, first test against pakistan, in favour of peter sleep. australia lost game , yardley recalled next game. took 1 wicket game resulted in rare australian victory.

yardley overlooked selection 1979 cricket world cup in favour of graeme porter selected tour india in 1979.

1979 tour of india

yardley toured india in 1979. made 12th man first test. returned side second test, making 47 nightwatchman taking 4-107 before illness meant sick bowl.

he kept on in team third test, taking 2 wickets; called upon open australia s first innings , made 29. kapil dev yorker broke foot in second innings, ruling him out fourth test. missed 3 games returned fifth test, kim hughes saying cricketer must team. yardley responded captain s faith scoring 61 off70 balls in australia s first innings , taking 4-91.

yardley failed fitness test , omitted sixth test, replaced peter sleep.

form slump

yardley suffered form slump @ beginning of 1979-80 domestic season, saw him make 58 runs in 5 innings, , dropped west australian side.

he later contracted virus affected health badly dropped out of cricket altogether while recover.

1980-81 comeback

yardley had return form during 1980-81 season. made 78 in game against queensland took 5-85 against south australia , 7-62 , 4-36 against tasmania.

this form - second highest wicket taker in sheffield shield season @ time - saw him recalled australian side test against india, replacing shaun graf; once again in squad alongside jim higgs. yardley ended being preferred higgs in game, taking 2-90 , 1-25, australia failed bowl out india.

yardley , higgs played in next test. yardley had better figures, taking 2-45 , 2-65, australia s batters collapsed in second innings , india won game.

towards end of summer, yardley s 3-40 against queensland in crucial game helped wa win shield.

yardley overlooked 1981 ashes despite being third highest first class wicket-taker summer, 47 wickets @ 25.38. spinners chosen go england both had less wickets yardley: graeme beard (29) , ray bright (22).

international cricketer of year

yardley s greatest season came in 1981-82.

he started 4-54 against south australia , picked in australian 12 first test against pakistan on ray bright. yardley rewarded selectors taking 6-84 in pakistan s second innings.

he took 1-51 , 4-77 in second test, contributing australian victory.

for third test yardley s figures 7-187, earning him man of match award - australia lost game innings.

australia played west indies. first game famous boxing day test, best remembered kim hughes century. yardley took 4-38 in second innings helping considerably australian victory. bruce bowled better @ time have seen him before, said greg chappell. great spin-bowler because attacks batsman , asset rare among spinners .

in second test took 3-87 , 7-98, , hit 45 off 33 balls, giving australia outside chance of winning game, ended in draw.

for third test, yardley took 5-132 in west indies first innings no wickets in second, australia lost.

yardley not selected in australia s 1 day side latter part of summer. voted international cricketer of year.

1982 tour of new zealand

yardley , ray bright 2 spinners on 1982 tour of new zealand.

yardley took 3-49 in rain shortened first test. took 4-142 , 2-40 in second test, clashing new zealand umpires, in game australia lost. had revenge in next game australia won; yardley not required bowl in new zealand s first innings 4-80 in second helped considerably in securing australian victory.

1982 tour of pakistan

yardley selected on tour pakistan. played in first test, scoring pair , taking 1 wicket.

he fell sick virus , replaced in second peter sleep. yardley returned third test, making quick fire 40 in australia s first innings , going 1-102.

1982-83 ashes

yardley kept spot in australian side against england in 1982-83. took 5-107 , 3-101 in first test.

after 5-68 against tasmania scored 53 , took 2 wickets in second test. third test saw him take 3 wickets.

a thigh injury due rodney hogg delivery meant there doubt whether yardley play fourth test fit in time. yardley took 4-89 in england s first innings.

in fifth test, yardley took 4-139 in england s second innings australian bowlers unable force victory. finished series 141 runs @ 20.14 , 22 wickets @ 36.07.

yardley dropped australian 1 day side again towards end of summer. took 4 wickets in game against south australia.

end of test career

yardley toured sri lanka in 1983. in sole test took 5-88 , 2-78, bowling in conjunction tom hogan, helping australia win innings.

after being overlooked 1983 world cup in favour of tom hogan, yardley retired first class cricket.

want people understand decision not based on not being selected go england, said yardley @ time. 36 in september , s time retire any. not playing club cricket.

since yardley had been first selected australia, had missed selection on every side picked tour england - 1979, 1980, 1981 , 1983. omission particularly notable in 1981. has been rumoured due 1978 west indies allegations yardley thrower.

comeback

yardley made surprising comeback first-class cricket six-and-a-half years after retirement when named in wa squad tour india.

yardley played against touring new zealanders, victoria, nsw, , south australia. criticised abandoning grade game commentate channel 9 during test match. took ten wickets @ 37.60 retired good.

think have bowled enough play shield again, selectors won t pick me, yardley said.