Brian Scovell, author of 19-90 Jim Laker, recently drew a revealing memory from long-time Grace Road guv�..nor Mike Turner. �..I invited Jim to speak at my benefit dinner when I retired as chief executive from Leicestershire and he was held up by a pile-up on the M1. He and his wife Lilly arrived in time for pudding and Jim insisted on going ahead and making his speech. I asked him about some expenses and he said he wouldn�..t dream of it. When Jim arrived home he found his house was ransacked by burglars, who took most of his memorabilia, and one of Lilly�..s parents had died that same night. He was a good friend and a great guy.�.�

Less flattering to Jim�..s memory was the theft last year of his photograph from The Oval pavilion. The thieves have not been traced; worse, the photo has not been replaced.

The Wisden Cricketer, Rob Steen