BILL JOHNSTONBill Johnston, who died on 25 May, 2007 aged 85, was hailed by his captain Don Bradman as “Australia’s greatest left-hand bowler.”In a career lasting eight years, MrJohnston played 40 Tests, taking 160 wickets at an average of 23.91. He was an intuitive bowler, swinging the ball both ways and changing the pace and spin.At over six feet tall, he cut an impressive figure on the field. He was a modest and jovial person, characterised by the idosyncratic dip of his head before bowling.He will be best remembered as a key member of Australia’s famous ‘Invincibles’ team.William Arras Johnston was born inVictoria, Australia on 26 February, 1922. He showed early promise and made his debut with the local cricket team aged only 12.He left school at 16 to become a professional cricketer, but the outbreak of World War Two cancelled all competitive cricket and Mr Johnston joined the Air Force as a radar technician.He first played for Victoria in 1945 as a slow to medium spinner, but quickly realised he would have to improve his speed to play Test cricket. He made his Australian debut in November 1947 against India, taking 16 wickets at an average of 11.37.In 1948, he was selected for the Ashes series in England. Mr Johnston was described as, "the surprise and success of the tour", with an incredible tour record of 102 wickets at 16.8. Australia won 4–0 and the team became known as The Invincibles, winning 23 of their 31 first-class matches.Despite starting the 1948 South Africa tour with a near-fatal car crash, Mr Johnston achieved his personal best of 6-44. He became the fastest bowler to reach 100 Test wickets taking just over 4 years.He led the wicket takers in series between 1950 and 1952. His last Test success came against England in the 1954-55 series.Mr Johnston’s trademark awkward delivery meant his ankle always had to be bound up to prevent injury. But during Australia’s first tour to the West Indies in 1955, it was his knee that gave way and Mr Johnston was forced into retirement.His wife Judy passed away in 2004. They had two sons, one of whom David, became Chief Executive of the Tasmanian Cricket Association. Mr Johnston died on 25 May, 2007 in a nursing home inSydney, Australia.During his distinguished career, Mr Johnston was widely recognised as one of Australia’s greatest bowlers. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1949, after finishing the season top of the first-class bowling averages.He was respected as a very hardworking player. During the 1948 tour, Mr Johnston bowled nearly 200 overs more than any other team member. Jack Fingleton remembers how he “earned every wicket. . . he never stopped smiling the whole tour and never shirked a job, no matter how tiring.”This well-loved cricketer will be remembered for his remarkable accuracy and ability to revert to spin bowling on sticky wickets.Mr Johnston was extremely popular and will be remembered with great fondness. Australia’s Cricket chairman Creagh O'Connor described him as "invincible on the field during his distinguished Test career, and a gentleman off the field."
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