The Bullet
I am often asked by our younger members why Graham Carpenter is called The Bullet. So much so that opposition teams have got wind of it and now call him it aswell! Well here’s the full story….
Graham has kept this extremely quiet over the years and as a modest man, does not like to boast about his past feats, but much prefers to enjoy today’s success of others.
Graham Carpenter made his England debut in the 1974 Third Test at Headingley against the West Indies.. This was the team photograph from the match with Graham forming a three-pronged pace attack with Geoff Arnold and Chris Old, with Tony Greig available as a back-up fourth seamer and Derek Underwood providing the spin.
Back Row: D.Lloyd, C.M.Old, A.W. Greig, G.A.Carpenter, G.G.Arnold, D.L.Amiss, J.Birkenshaw (12th man)
Front Row; K.W.R.Fletcher, A.P.E.Knott, M.H.Denness (Captain), J.H.Edrich, D.L.Underwood
Spectacular things were to happen in the opening day of the 3rd test at Headingley. There had been no sign of much action earlier for with Arnold and Old opening up the West Indies had reached an uneventful 82-3 at lunch with skipper Clive Lloyd gong well on 38 not out.
However straight after lunch England Captain Mike Denness introduced the debutant Carpenter into the attack for the first time. Graham’s first ball in Test Cricket was a good length ball which Lloyd played watchfully into the covers. However the second was a fearsome yorker which uprooted the middle stump of the West Indies captain. Not a bad way to make your test debut but more was to follow…..
Enter the one and only Sir Garfield Sobers, the best cricketer in the world. Carpenter unfazed , now steaming in from the Kirkstall Lane End next ball produced another pearler and Sobers’ middle stump was knocked flying out the ground !
I was watching on TV and recall the commentary:
Here comes Carpenter, he runs up and bowls to Sobers and he’s booooooooooooooooowled him, he’s done it again, Graham Carpenter he’s amazing…..he’s…. The Bullet !
The crowd, already going wild and some on the pitch, celebrating a new England hero, soon got wind of this comment. As Graham walked back to his fielding position at Long Leg at the end of his first over in test cricket, not only did he receive a standing ovation but the chant went round the ground
“Bullet…..Bullet……Bullet…..”