Bruce Laird represented his home state of Western Australia in Sheffield Shield cricket, making his debut in February 1973 aged 22.

Peter McFarline thought Laird suffered from "unlucky and untimely dismissals" in the tour games.

His side struggled with the bat with no player scoring more than one hundred, but with top fast bowlers Mick Malone and Dennis Lillee they managed to win four matches.

Laird was in the running for a spot in the Australian team that summer, especially after scoring 171 against Queensland, but lost out to Ian Davis.

In the end, the selectors only took two openers to England - Davis and McCosker - and omitted Laird; instead they took David Hookes, Kim Hughes and Craig Serjeant as new batters.

[8] During the 1977 Ashes Australia was forced to play Richie Robinson and Craig Serjeant as openers due to poor form from Davis.

However the third Supertest, at Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago, was one of Laird's greatest games of all time.

After Packer reached a deal with the cricket authorities the Australian WSC players returned to their State sides and were once again available for international selection.

This test season was run in the same format as Packer's Supertests with matches played between three sides, England also featuring.

Having played well during WSC Laird was selected immediately for the Australian XI to face the West Indies in 1979 at Brisbane, for his Test debut.

Laird played his first ODI against the West Indies on 27 November 1979 scoring 20 from 38 balls as Australia won by 5 wickets.

[17] Rod Marsh wrote, "Laird's reliability in the opening role was a big factor in what I rate a successful summer.

Bruce has always handled the fast men magnificently, but he used to strike trouble with the medium pacers and spinners.

"[19] Bill O'Reilly claimed Laird "is the only one of Australia's younger players certain to hold his batting place for years to come.

Greg Chappell led the side and Laird partnered Graham Yallop at the top of the order in the first test in Karachi.

[21] The third test at Lahore also ended in a bat dominated draw with Julien Wiener opening with Laird for the second match scoring 93.

Despite Western Australia winning the Shield that year, this poor form saw Laird dropped from the Test side and replaced by his teammate.

Laird's poor form early in the 1980-81 summer - eight Sheffield Shield innings with a top score of 39 - led to him being overlooked in favour of Graeme Wood and john Dyson.

"He seems to get edgy and frustrated and starts playing attacking shots far too early in his innings for a player of his style," wrote Chappell.

"[25] However although he had recovered his fitness and was playing Shield cricket again towards the end of the summer Laird was overlooked in favour of three other openers, Wood, John Dyson and Martin Kent.

"[26] Kim Hughes, who was captain of the 1981 Ashes squad, said he wanted Laird in the team (along with another West Australian overlooked, Bruce Yardley) but he did not have a say.

Laird earned a recall to the test side for the home series against Pakistan, thanks to a bright start to the 1981/82 Shield season.

A score of 110 not out and the continuing success of his partnership with Wood, convincing returning captain Greg Chappell to call on him again.

In the opening test of the summer held at the WACA Ground, Laird was one of seven Western Australians selected in the Australian Test team, alongside Wood, Kim Hughes, Rod Marsh, Bruce Yardley, Dennis Lillee and Terry Alderman.

Laird missed the last ODI as he returned to Australia early due to complications his wife was having with the birth of their third child.

[32] Laird scored 99 against Victoria in an early Shield game but was dropped from the Australian time for the first test, with the selectors choosing Graeme Wood and John Dyson.

Laird had a strong domestic season, scoring 610 runs (ave. 40.66) and Western Australia won the Shield in the final against New South Wales.

Bruce Laird bowed out of professional cricket by winning another Shield title defeating Queensland in the 1983/84 final, finishing with scores 63 and 54 as Western Australia won by four wickets.

[34] Shane Warne once listed Bruce Laird in his "Backyard Australian XII" saying he had "Pure guts.