 Like Australia, England had a rich seam of bowling talent in the 1950s, so much so that they left behind fast bowler Fred Trueman (average 21.57), off-spinner Jim Laker (21.24) and slow left armer Tony Lock (25.58) who between them had taken 15 wickets in the Ashes-winning Fifth Test at the Kennington Oval in 1953.The most likely explanation is that these outspoken cricketers were regarded as 'difficult tourists' by the MCC and Hutton thought that "Fiery Fred" had yet to mature as a bowler.As in every series since the war it looked like the England bowling would rest on the broad shoulders of Alex Bedser (24.89)—in 1954 his 231 wickets was the greatest haul in Test history.