inner ' s ▁fingers ▁threatened ▁Jim ▁L aker ' s ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁England ▁team . ▁ ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁first - class ▁debut ▁for ▁G lam organ ▁against ▁Sur rey ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁season , ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁match ▁as ▁Don ▁She ph erd . ▁He ▁claimed ▁ 1 0 0 ▁w ick ets ▁in ▁a ▁season ▁three ▁times , ▁with ▁ 1 3 6 ▁at ▁ 1 6 . 0 7 ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁being ▁his ▁best . ▁Again st ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁tour ists ▁in ▁that ▁year ▁he ▁took ▁ 6 ▁for ▁ 2 7 ▁including ▁a ▁hat - tr ick , ▁helping ▁G lam organ ▁to ▁an ▁unlikely ▁victory . ▁ ▁Mc Con non ' s ▁selection ▁for ▁the ▁Ash es ▁tour ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 4 - 5 5 ▁was ▁controvers ial ▁in ▁that ▁it ▁meant ▁that ▁L aker ▁was ▁not ▁taken . ▁As ▁it ▁was ▁Mc Con non ▁broke ▁a ▁finger ▁during ▁the ▁tour , ▁and ▁he ▁returned ▁home ▁early . ▁ ▁His ▁season ▁as ▁a ▁professional ▁in ▁the ▁Lanc ash ire ▁League ▁was ▁successful : ▁he ▁to pped ▁the ▁League ▁bow ling ▁aver ages ▁with ▁ 5 2 ▁w ick ets ▁at ▁ 6 . 8 , ▁and ▁Burn ley ▁won ▁the ▁championship . ▁After ▁he ▁left ▁first - class ▁cr icket ▁he ▁played ▁a ▁few ▁seasons ▁of ▁Minor ▁Count ies ▁cr icket ▁for ▁Ch esh ire . ▁ ▁Mc Con non ▁and ▁his ▁wife