Bill Lawry

William Morris Bill Lawry, AM is a former cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia inTests, winning nine, losing eight and drawing eight, and led Australia in the inaugural One Day International match, played in 1971. An opening batsman with a reputation for resolute defence, he had the ability to spend long periods of time at the crease. As his career progressed, he wound back his strokeplay to the point where he was described by an English journalist as the corpse with pads on. Lawry was unceremoniously dumped as captain and player for the final Test of the 197071 Ashes series in Australia. Lawrys sacking is regarded as one of the more distasteful incidents in Australian cricket historyhe was not informed personally of the selectors decision before the decision was first broadcast on radio and he only became aware of his fate when confronted by reporters. Lawry is part of the Nine Network cricket commentary team and has been in the role for over 30

Lawry was born in the Melbourne suburb of Thornbury. He was given the names William Morris after the early Prime Minister of Australia, William Morris Hughes. His father Alfred played amateur cricket until the age of 51. Bill never saw his father play, who was aged 47 when Bill was born. Aged nine, he played competitive cricket for the first time with the Thornbury Presbyterian Church team. He spent three years there, as well as playing for Preston Technical School. When he was twelve, he entered Melbournes district competition playing for Northcotes fourth team, working his way up to the First XI by the age of sixteen. At the time, he was apprenticed as a plumber and attending Preston Technical College. Lawry was selected for Victorias Second XI at the age of seventeen. He made a duck against the South Australians and did not see any further action for the Seconds for the rest of the summer of 195455. The following season, Lawry was recalled to the Seconds and scored 183 against South

Source: Wikipedia