David Lawrence (cricketer)
A fearsomely fast bowler who broke barriers as England's first black-born cricketer, later becoming a pioneering administrator for his county.
1964–2025 (age 61)·English cricketer·Birthday: January 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
David Lawrence burst onto the cricket scene with a combination of raw pace and a beaming smile that belied the ferocity of his bowling. Hailing from Gloucester, his career was a story of blazing trails and heartbreaking setbacks. His express speed, honed in a formidable county attack with Courtney Walsh, earned him a Test debut in 1988, making him the first British-born black player to represent England—a landmark moment he carried with quiet pride. Just as his international career was gaining momentum, tragedy struck during a tour of New Zealand in 1992. In a horrifying incident, his knee shattered mid-delivery, an injury so severe it nearly ended his life and did end his playing days at the highest level. His fight back to even bowl again in county cricket was a testament to his resilience. In his second act, Lawrence remained a beloved figure at Gloucestershire, evolving into an ambassador and, in 2022, breaking another barrier by becoming the club's first black president, guiding it with the same passion he once reserved for his bowling run-up.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2025Died at 61
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
Key Achievements
- Became the first British-born black cricketer to play Test cricket for England, debuting in 1988.
- Took 625 first-class wickets for Gloucestershire, forming a feared pace attack with Courtney Walsh.
- Appointed as the first black president of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in 2022.
Did You Know?
His terrifying knee injury occurred while he was bowling in a Test match against New Zealand in Wellington.
He was awarded an MBE in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to cricket and to diversity in sport.
He was known for his exceptionally long and rhythmic run-up before delivering the ball.
“I bowled fast because that's what I was picked to do.”
