Full name Godfrey Bernard Lawrence
Born March 31, 1932, Salisbury (now Harare), Rhodesia
Current age 87 years 53 days
Major teams Rhodesia, South Africa, Border, Natal
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
| Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | 100 | 50 | 6s | Ct | St | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 5 | 8 | 0 | 141 | 43 | 17.62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| First-class | 77 | 111 | 26 | 1079 | 60* | 12.69 | 0 | 1 | 54 | 0 |
| Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 5 | 9 | 1334 | 512 | 28 | 8/53 | 9/98 | 18.28 | 2.30 | 47.6 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| First-class | 77 | 18244 | 6146 | 342 | 8/42 | 17.97 | 2.02 | 53.3 | 15 | 1 |
| Test debut | South Africa v New Zealand at Durban, Dec 8-12, 1961 scorecard |
| Last Test | South Africa v New Zealand at Port Elizabeth, Feb 16-20, 1962 scorecard |
| Test statistics | |
| First-class span | 1952/53 - 1966/67 |
A 6' 5" fast bowler - and up to then the tallest player in South African cricket - Goofy Lawrence relied more on hard work than natural ability, but it won him five Test caps against New Zealand in 1961-62. In the second Test at Johannesburg he grabbed 8 for 53, taking 28 wickets at 18.28 in the series. He was also a capable batsman, and in the first innings of the final match at Port Elizabeth he opened the batting with Eddie Barlow, top-scoring with 43. That was his best season - he took 51 wickets in all at 17.49. South Africa's limited number of international matches meant that by the time of the next series he had been discarded. For more than a decade he was the spearhead of the Rhodesia side, taking 296 wickets at 17.29.
Martin Williamson