[1] After turning down the offer of a contract at Warwickshire, Flavell began his Worcestershire career in 1949 as an out and out fast bowler, earning himself the nickname of ‘Mad Jack’.

In all, appetite for long spells, and ability to shrug off a succession of hamstring and ankle injuries, earned him 1,529 wickets in 401 first-class appearances.

Coming back from injury in 1964, with Worcestershire's push for the title stalling, he took forty-six wickets in five matches between 8 and 25 August at just 11.71, taking nine in an innings against Middlesex.

[citation needed] He represented his country in just four Test matches, against Australia in 1961 and 1964, and was unlucky to play in an era when England could call on Fred Trueman, Brian Statham and Frank Tyson.

Flavell had no pretensions as a left-handed batsman, but scored his only first-class fifty against arch rivals Warwickshire at Dudley in 1959, and also in partnership with the still-worse “rabbit” Bob Carter won Worcestershire a vital one-wicket victory over Nottinghamshire with two fours.

After retirement, with his wife Marie, Flavell ran The Rafters Restaurant near Wolverhampton, and then a guest house in Barmouth, Gwynedd, Wales.