Sporting Bygones: How a national hero toppled Australians and celebrated with fish and chip supper

He could not have dreamed anyone could reach 800 Test wickets as Muttiah Muralitharan did with the last delivery of his career, nor that the top three places in the all-time Test wicket-taking table would be filled by spin bowlers, Muralitharan, Shane Warne on 708 and Anil Kumble on 619.

But, like those three, Laker was an inspiration. He took "only"193 wickets in his 46-Test career but in doing so he gave off-spin bowling a generation of young adherents who had previously striven to follow the example of Frank Tyson, Brian Statham and Fred Trueman.

Laker set an example, not only for his fabled 19-wicket performance against the 1956 Australians in the fourth Test at Old Trafford but because he was one of us, born only a few miles away at Frizinghall in Bradford and brought up by aunts in Saltaire.

It was at Roberts Park in Saltaire that the young Laker learned his cricket, although in his early years he was regarded more as a batsman than a bowler and attracted Yorkshire's attention, although their interest was interrupted by the outbreak of war.

Laker would later pay tribute to the help he received at Saltaire when he sent a message which was reproduced in the club's centenary brochure in 1969. "Above all things," he wrote, " I was grateful to be born a Yorkshireman and decidedly fortunate to be given an opportunity to play cricket with Saltaire at the tender age of 15 – fantastic years for any hopeful cricketer.

"An early baptism in the tough competitive atmosphere of league cricket was to stand me in good stead during a career which brought me into conflict with some of the finest cricketers the world has ever seen.

"Incredulously, over 30 years have passed since I first played against Baildon Green and I am happy that I am blessed with a memory which recalls a whole host of memorable matches but, more important still, the memory of so many fine league cricketers I was privileged to play with."

The war took Laker away from Yorkshire but not from cricket; reports reached England from North Africa in 1943 of an off-spinner of whom admirers said: "You can hear the ball buzz as he lets it go".

Surrey were among those who heard of this promising 21-year-old and, when peace was restored, they asked Yorkshire for permission to make an approach.

Yorkshire made no objection so Laker, who was living in London, found his way into first-class cricket.

He learned his trade the hard way, as was the norm in those days. He enjoyed success in the 1947 season but suffered at the hands of Don Bradman and his rampant Australians a summer later.

The first indication that he was something out of the ordinary came when he claimed eight wickets for just two runs at Bradford Park Avenue when playing for England against the Rest in the 1950 Test trial.

By the summer of 1956, Laker was established as England's foremost off-spinner, his ambling run-up and smooth delivery becoming known to new audiences through the growing popularity of television.

It was on TV that Laker stepped quietly into history. He had already had success against the Australians that summer when he claimed all 10 wickets for 88 runs in an innings playing against them for Surrey but that feat would be eclipsed at Manchester over five days at the end of July.

Fate played well for England in that Test. The home side batted first and amassed 459 with centuries from Peter Richardson and the Rev David Sheppard then, after rain had transformed the pitch into a spinner's dream, dismissed Australia for 84.

Laker bowled 16.4 overs to claim 9-37 with his Surrey team-mate Lock taking the other wicket for exactly the same number of runs. Peter May inevitably invited Australia to follow on and after Statham and Trevor Bailey had failed to break through with the new ball against Colin McDonald and Jim Burke, the England captain turned to spin.

More rain had cut into the playing time and there was a chance Australia might snatch an unlikely draw, a chance which grew by the minute through that long afternoon at start of the school holidays.

Unruffled, Laker went about his business, chipping away at the Australians and making the most out of a pitch which, by late afternoon, was being regarded by the tourists as a cricketing minefield.

Lock bowled 55 overs, 30 of them maidens, conceded 69 runs and failed to take a wicket; Laker allowed only 53 runs from 51.2 over and took all 10 wickets.

It was – and remains – the only time a bowler has taken 19 wickets in Test (or even first-class) cricket and gave England their second victory of the season, the first time they had recorded two successes in a home series against Australia since 1905. The Ashes were still safely in English hands.

Laker was the national hero but returned home – having broken his drive for fish and chips – to be met with a question from his Australian-born wife. "Jim, have you done something good today?" she asked, having fielded hundreds of congratulatory phone calls.

She hadn't had the TV switched on.