represented the Royal Navy and the British Army respectively that summer. Statham decided to accept Stockport's invitation for 1949 and played for them six times, when he could obtain weekend leave. It was in the Central Lancashire League that, for the first time, he encountered professional players. Stockport shared the 1949 league title with Milnrow Cricket Club, both teams amassing 48 points. An RAF corporal called Larry Lazarus, the sports NCO at Stafford, recognised Statham's potential as a fast bowler who could bowl straight. Lazarus was a Londoner and he wrote to Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to ask if they had a ground staff vacancy which Statham could fill when his national service ended. MCC replied that Statham should first approach Lancashire as his native county club. Joining Lancashire Statham contacted the club and found that they had received a report about him from the Central Lancashire League. He was invited to take part in a two-day trial match in April 1950 and this was successful, especially as he dismissed two first team batsmen, Winston Place and Alan Wharton. Lancashire offered him professional terms to begin in May after his national service ended. A civilian again, Statham joined the Old Trafford ground staff. His parents had no objection to him pursuing a cricket career. He began his new career by playing in Club & Ground matches and was soon chosen for the Second XI, who were the reigning Minor Counties champions. He played in their first five matches, taking 26 wickets at 14 runs apiece. One of Lancashire's biggest worries in 1950 was finding a successor to their veteran pace bowler Dick Pollard and Statham's arrival solved that problem. Pollard retired from first-class cricket at the end of the season. Although Statham had not yet had any real coaching, he soon impressed the Lancashire coach Harry Makepeace who, only two weeks later, ensured his selection for the first team in the match against Kent at Old Trafford. It began on Saturday, 17 June, Statham's twentieth birthday. Lancashire scored 271 on the Saturday (Statham, batting eleven, was last man out without scoring) and they reduced Kent to 62 for four at the close with Statham having taken the wicket of Arthur Fagg, caught by Alan Wharton for four. Statham later recalled that it was fluke dismissal. His captain Cyril Washbrook told him to maintain a good length against Fagg who was