Bob Appleyard

Bob Appleyard (Robert Appleyard; born June 27 1924, Wibsey, Bradford, Yorkshire, England) was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century. Able to bowl fast-medium swingers or seamer and off-spinners with almost exactly the same action, Appleyard was a tragic figure whose career was almost destroyed by injury and illness after an amazing first full season in 1951.

Trivia

• With the death of Alf Gover in 2001, Appleyard became the sole survivor among the 28 bowlers who have taken 200 wickets or more in an English cricket season (the last case was Tony Lock in 1957).