Cricketing legend Typhoon blasts the modern day game

FRANK Holmes Tyson was once undoubtedly the fastest bowler in the world.

Mention his name to an Australian cricketer who played against him during the 1954-55 ashes series in Australia, and no doubt a shiver will still run down his spine.

Tyson, the former Northamptonshire and England player, earned his nickname 'Typhoon' because of the speed in which he propelled a cricket ball at opposing batsmen.

I recall having seen him bowl at Headingley and it was truly a fearsome sight.

Yet despite humiliating the Aussies, they warmly welcomed him when he emigrated to Australia way back in 1961, just as they welcomed Harold Larwood, the Nottinghamshire fast bowler, who emigrated to Australia a few years after he had terrorised Bradman and fellow Aussies during the 'bodyline' tour of 1932-33.

Tyson, who now lives on the Gold Coast, is in England to collect an honorary cricket blue from his old university - Durham - in recognition of his service to cricket.

During his short stay he visited friends around the country and last week he visited Woodhouse Grove School, at Apperley Bridge, where he coached for two summers in 1995 and 1996, for the match between the School X1 and the MCC.

He readily agreed to an interview with me and not surprisingly, the state of English cricket was top of the agenda - as was his admiration of the high standard and gutsy play of the Australians, who he had tipped to win the World Cup before the tournament even started.

Sitting on a wall in the summer sunshine, with the match being played before us, Tyson spoke at length of the past, and the future, occasionally commenting on the match before us.

Being a veteran of 17 tests for England during a relatively short period of four years from 1954-58, Tyson is so concerned about the England team's demise he is considering switching his support to Australia where he has lived for the past 38 years.

He feels that not enough cricket is being played in schools in this country - with the exception of public schools where facilities are superb for bringing along youngsters.

In stark contrast, he says, to Australia, where children play competitive cricket at a young age and are able to develop steadily.

He feels in England there should be a pyramid system of promotion where young cricketers can go through to the senior leagues.

"Cricketers in this country have great ability but it is not being used very well. English cricketers fall down in their mental approach which is not good. In Australia they have a good mental approach to the game," he said.

"I said Australia would win the World Cup because they are able to rise to a challenge and always move up a gear. Australians play the game hard and are mentally tough. They are very competitive because it is the way they have been brought up. South Africans are the same.".

Tyson also feels English players play too much cricket, and professional cricketers should be allowed to study for a career outside of cricket so they have a job opportunity when their playing days are over.

Commenting on his own career he said: "I gave up playing county cricket when I was 30 because I had made up my mind to give up at that age because I had a teaching profession to follow," he said.

"Besides I liked to bowl fast," he added.

Commenting on fitness in the current game, he pointed out players of his day had had a manual job before they broke into cricket and because of this their bodies were strong.

He admitted that during his playing days he did suffer injuries to his legs, ankles, shoulders and had two stress fractures to his back. "I suppose my legs suffered because I used to bang them down when I was bowling," he said.

And on the current trend for fitness specialists and gurus in the game, he told me a revealing story about Brian Statham, the former Lancashire and England fast bowler, who was once asked how he kept himself fit: 'I just keep bowling,' Statham replied.

"And that really did keep fast bowlers fit," said Tyson.

Concentration also seems to be an in-thing for cricketers these days.

But as Tyson says: "Young players are now told how to concentrate. No one told Len Hutton how to concentrate when he scored 364 against the Australians at the Oval in 1938 and you did not tell Freddie Trueman how to get fit," he said.

After a short break while he and Graham Roope, the former Surrey and England batsman, who has succeeded Tyson as coach at Woodhouse Grove had their photographs taken, the question of overseas cricketers playing in this country cropped up.

"England is the the only test playing country which provides full-time professional employment for cricketers not only in the counties, but in the leagues," he said.

"You don't see cricketers from other countries playing in teams in India, Pakistan or the West Indies," he added.

"I used to say overseas cricketers enhanced the game in England but they are keeping young English cricketers out of county sides. They don't allow this in India," he added.

Tyson played for Northamptonshire from 1952-60 but later played for Todmorden in Lancashire in 1961 and grade cricket for Melbourne until 1964.

In all he took 76 test wickets in 17 tests for an average of 18.00: "I have no regrets at retiring from cricket at 30 because I always wanted to bowl fast but I did play friendly cricket until I was 60," he said.

A retired French teacher at a public school in Victoria, Tyson enjoys life in Australia.

He coached Victoria to two Sheffield Shield successes in 1977-78 and 1978-79. Since retiring he has coached in India for three years and over the years he has written 17 books on cricket.

Looking back to the past, h e recalled incidents many years ago involving Eddie Davies of Northamptonshire and Freddie Trueman (Yorkshire).

"Fred used to visit the Northamptonshire dressing room and draw a cross on Eddie's forehead and then say to him, jokingly, 'That is where I am going to hit you.' Needless to say Eddie did not score any runs against him," he said.

Tyson was Wisden cricketer of the year in 1956. During his student days he played for Durham University. In all he played eight of his 17 tests against Australia.

He played against South Africa and New Zealand four times each and once against Pakistan.

During the 1954-55 test series against Australia he played in five test matches and his total figures were 151-16-583-28 for an average of 20.82. His best bowling figures were 7-27. During the same tour he played in two tests against New Zealand and his figures were quite impressive: 49-17-90-11 for an average of 8.18. His best bowling against the New Zealanders was 4-16.

Nowadays he enjoys a game of golf and, of course, watching cricket!

If only the England team now had a cricketer with the talent, and speed, of the great Typhoon.

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