Bruce Yardley (5 September 1947 – 27 March 2019) was an Australian cricketer who played in 33 Test matches and seven One Day Internationals between 1978 and 1983, taking 126 Test wickets.
Known to his teammates as 'Roo', Yardley was an off-spin bowler who began as a fast-medium pace seamer. In his late 20s Yardley switched to off-spin and had success at club and then state level. His technique was slightly unusual in that he bowled at near medium pace, spinning the ball off his middle finger rather than the index finger like conventional off-spinners. A handy number-eight batsman who scored four Test half-centuries, his batting was often characterised by a "Yardley yahoo" over the top of slips which opposition teams sometimes attempted to counter by using a fly slip. Yardley was an exceptional fielder in the gully region, taking 31 catches in his 33 Tests including a number of spectacular efforts. He was also the recipient of some fine fielding being the bowler when John Dyson took his catch of the century to dismiss West Indian Sylvester Clarke.
In the early 1980s Yardley was Australia's first-choice spinner; during this period he took most of his 126 Test wickets, including a Test-best of 7/98 against the West Indies at Sydney in 1981/82. It was for this and other eye-catching performances that he was named the 1981/1982 Benson and Hedges International Cricketer of the Year, winning a new sports car.
However he had to purchase this car from his fellow players from that year. The car was put into the team's prize pool with other prizes which included cash which at the end of the year was divided depending on how much you played.
Despite his fine all-round cricket game he was rarely considered for One Day Internationals and in 1981 he was controversially left out of the Ashes squad which toured England (Stuart MacGill, Yardley and fellow West Australian Bruce Reid are the only three bowlers to take 100 wickets for Australia without playing a Test there). Yardley participated in Australia's first tour of Sri Lanka in 1983 and took seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul, in what proved to be his final Test.
After retiring from competitive cricket Yardley remained involved in the sport as a coach and media commentator. In 1997 he was appointed coach of the Sri Lankan national team. A long-time admirer and supporter of Sri Lankan record breaking off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan it was Yardley who encouraged Murali to add the doosra to his arsenal. He was always adamant that Murali was not a chucker.
Yardley spent several years as Regional Cricket Officer for the Western Australian Cricket Association which involved responsibility for promoting cricket and increasing participation in the South West region through school visits/programs and cricket carnivals. He was a regular cricket commentator on TV and radio.
Career Yardley began playing grade cricket with Midland-Guildford as a fast medium bowler.
He made his first-class cricket debut in 1966–67, taking one wicket against Queensland. However West Australia had fast bowlers during this period and he struggled to find a permanent spot, only playing in two games over six seasons. (The second game came against Victoria at the WACA in 1970–71.)
In 1971 Yardley began developing his abilities as a spin bowler and worked on his batting. He gained selection for WA as a batsman in 1973–74. He scored 43 not out against the touring New Zealanders in 1974. He would occasionally bowl as well.
In 1973–74 he scored a quick fire 59 in a Gillette Cup game, helping WA beat NSW.
In 1974–75 he played for West Australia primarily as a batsman.
After a decade in First-Class cricket Yardley had 14 First-Class matches, scoring 246 runs at 14.47 and picking up six wickets at 61.83. He had bowled only 923 deliveries (153.5 six-ball overs).
Emergence as spin bowler 1976–77 was Yardley's breakthrough season as he became a full-time spinner. He took 2–44 and 3–40 against South Australia, also scoring a useful 35 runs. Two games later against NSW he took 6–62 then made 97 not out.
For the season he scored 171 runs at 28.50 and picked up 19 wickets at 25.73.
1977–78 Test bowler In 1977–78 the Australian Test team had lost a number of its leading players to World Series Cricket. Tony Mann was tried as a spinner but was dropped after four Tests.
Yardley had a strong domestic season. He scored 51 in 65 minutes in a game against South Australia, then took 7–44. This saw him leap into contention for the spinner's spot for the fifth Test, the other contenders being Jim Higgs and Graham Whyte.
Yardley ended up being selected for both the fifth Test against India and the tour of West Indies.
Yardley's Test debut was promising. One of four Australians playing in their first Test, he made useful scores of 22 and 26 and although he went wicketless in the first innings, took 4–134 in the second, helping bowl Australia to victory.
1978 tour of the West Indies Yardley enjoyed considerable success in the West Indies, forming a notable spin combination with Jim Higgs.
He began the tour well, taking five wickets against Leeward Islands, including a second innings return of 4–91. He followed this up with nine wickets against Trinidad and Tobago, 4–51 and 5–89.
This saw him selected in the first Test to team with Higgs. He took three wickets, but Australia lost by an innings.
There was some discussion Yardley would miss the second Test but he ended up playing. Yardley had an excellent game with the bat, scoring 74 off 73 runs in Australia's first innings and 47 in the second. He only bowled two overs, in another Australian defeat.
Yardley went wicketless in a tour game against Guyana and was injured while batting, retiring hurt for 37. He recovered to play in the third Test which was an Australian victory. He took three wickets and made 33 and 15 not out; the latter innings was especially crucial as it helped Australia pass the West Indies total. He did find however that Bob Simpson often preferred to bowl himself rather than Yardley.
Yardley took six wickets in a game against Windward Islands. In the 4th Test Yardley took 1–48 and 4–40 but Australia collapsed in their second innings and lost the game.
Throwing controversy Yardley encountered controversy in a tour match against Jamaica when umpire Douglas Sang Hue called no-ball on him twice.Contemporary newspaper report from Sydney Morning Herald accessed 2 March 2015 It marred a fine game for him as he took 5–63 in the second innings and his score of 15 with the bat helped Australia win by two wickets.
In the fifth Test Yardley almost bowled Australia to victory with second innings figures of 4–35 but the game ended in a riot.
Yardley finished the series with 206 runs at 29.42 and 15 wickets at 25.13. He was easily one of the team's best performers on tour and now firmly established as the first choice off spinner.
1978–79 Ashes Yardley kept his place for the first Test of the 78–79 Ashes. He had a poor game, only taking one wicket, although a first innings score at 17 did arrest an Australian collapse.
His batting ensured he kept his place in the second Test over Higgs; he took four wickets. Yardley was not selected for the next two games. He was recalled for the fifth Test, in which he took no wickets.
In the sixth Test, Yardley took two wickets although he top scored in Australia's second innings with a knock of 61. He and Higgs famously opened the bowling together in England's second innings.
Pakistan Yardley was dropped again for Australia's next game, the first Test against Pakistan, in favour of Peter Sleep. Australia lost this game and Yardley was recalled for the next game. He only took one wicket but the game resulted in a rare Australian victory.
Yardley was overlooked for selection for the 1979 Cricket World Cup in favour of Graeme Porter however he was selected to tour India in 1979.
1979 tour of India Yardley toured India in 1979. He was made 12th man for the first Test. He returned to the team for the second test, making 47 as nightwatchman then taking 4–107 before illness left him too sick to bowl.
He was kept on in the team for the third Test, taking only two wickets; he was called upon to open Australia's first innings and made 29. A Kapil Dev yorker broke his foot in the second innings, ruling him out for the fourth Test. He missed three games but returned for the fifth test, Kim Hughes saying the cricketer was "a must" for the team. Yardley responded to his captain's faith by scoring 61 off 70 balls in Australia's first innings and taking 4–91.
Yardley failed a fitness Test and was omitted for the sixth Test, replaced by Peter Sleep.
Form slump Yardley suffered a form slump at the beginning of the 1979–80 domestic season, which saw him only make 58 runs in five innings, and was dropped from the West Australian team.
He later contracted a virus which affected his health so badly he dropped out of cricket altogether for a while to recover.
1980–81 comeback Yardley had a return to form during the 1980–81 season. He made 78 in a game against Queensland then took 5–85 against South Australia and 7–62 and 4–36 against Tasmania.
This form – he was the second highest wicket taker in the Sheffield Shield that season at the time – saw him recalled to the Australian team for the second test against India, replacing Shaun Graf (who had been 12th man); once again he was in the squad alongside Jim Higgs. By thhat stage Yardley had taken 29 Shield wickets at 24.34 and 207 runs at 20.7. It was thought that this selection indiated he might be in consideration to tour England. (Ashley Mallett had been 12th man for the first test against New Zealand.)
To general surprise, Yardley ended up being preferred to Higgs in the game despite Higgs having taken 15 test wickets at 18 that summer. Yardley took 2–90 and 1–25, as Australia failed to bowl out India. Yardley and Higgs played together in the third test against India. Yardley had better figures, taking 2-45 and 2-65, but Australia's batters collapsed in the second innings and India won the game.
Towards the end of the summer, Yardley's 3–40 against Queensland in a crucial game helped WA win the Shield.
Yardley was overlooked for the 1981 Ashes despite being the third highest first class wicket-taker that summer, with 47 wickets at 25.38. The spinners chosen to go to England both had less wickets than Yardley: Graeme Beard (29) and Ray Bright (22) (Higgs was also ovelooked).Australian first class wicket takers for 1980-81 at CricketArchive During the 1981 Ashes Beard did not play a test; Ray Bright took 12 wickets at 32.5.
International Cricketer of the Year Yardley's greatest season came in 1981–82.
He started well with 4–54 against South Australia and was picked in the Australian 12 for the first Test against Pakistan over Ray Bright. Yardley rewarded the selectors taking 6–84 in Pakistan's second innings.
He then took 1-51 and 4–77 in the second Test, contributing to another Australian victory.
For the third Test Yardley's figures were 7–187, earning him the man of the match award – but Australia lost the game by an innings.
Australia then played the West Indies. The first game was the famous Boxing Day Test, best remembered for Kim Hughes' century. Yardley took 4–38 in their second innings helping considerably to an Australian victory. "Bruce bowled better than at any time I have seen him before", said Greg Chappell. "He is a great spin-bowler because he attacks the batsman and that is an asset that is rare among spinners".
In the second Test he took 3-87 and 7-98, and hit 45 off 33 balls, giving Australia an outside chance of winning the game, but it ended in a draw.
For the third Test, Yardley took 5–132 in the West Indies' first innings but no wickets in the second, as Australia lost.