Famous Cricketers No 72 - Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge, C.B.E.

1967 Cowdrey entered the season for the first time no longer an automatic England choice. Thus playing more for Kent than he had done for many years, he contributed a major part in the county’s most successful season for some time – runners-up in the County Championship and winners of the Gillette Cup, the latter where Kent had failed previously. Although not a natural limited-overs player his regal 78 in 18 overs in the semi-final of the Gillette Cup was vital. Other notable innings included 150 at Gravesend and 97 at Lord’s described by Wisden as “lyrical”. Eventually England turned to him again in the second Test of the season’s second series against Pakistan. But it was as an opener and he hardly shone. His 16 in 90 minutes at The Oval was another introspective performance. However fate played an unexpected hand. Close lost the England captaincy over his delaying tactics in a county game and Cowdrey, not the immediate choice, regained the leadership for the tour of the West Indies. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 491. Kent v Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge, April 29, 30, May 1 (Match drawn) * c R.Swetman b C.Forbes 26 169 171 not out 10 36-4 175-7d 492. Kent v Gloucestershire, Dartford, May 3, (4), (5) (Match drawn) * c D.A.Allen b M.Bissex 39 199 59-2 493. Kent v Yorkshire, Bradford, May (6), 8 , 9 (Match drawn) * c R.Illingworth b A.G.Nicholson 20 94-4d 40 1 13-2 494. Kent v Indians, Canterbury, May 10, 11, 12 (Kent won by 76 runs) * c A.L.Wadekar b V.Subramanya 39 316-6d 173 1 did not bat - 75-4d 142 2 495. Kent v Somerset, Taunton, May 17, 18, 19 (Match drawn) * c W.E.Alley b F.E.Rumsey 5 124 170 160-9 496. Kent v Northamptonshire, Gravesend, May 20, 22, 23 (Match drawn) * c Mushtaq Mohammad b H.Sully 29 375-6d 173 29-0 497. Kent v Somerset, Gravesend, May 24, 25, 26 (Kent won by an innings and 148 runs) * c G.Clayton b G.I.Burgess 150 366-6d 122 3 96 498. Kent v Leicestershire, Leicester, May 31, June 1, 2 (Leicestershire won by 105 runs) * lbw b J.Cotton 0 72 203 2 c D.J.Constant b G.A.R.Lock 42 135 109 1 499. Kent v Middlesex, Lord’s, June 7, 8, 9 (Match drawn) * b R.W.Stewart 97 347-9d 155 228-6 2 500. Kent v Middlesex, Blackheath, June 10, 12, 13 (Kent won by six wickets) * c M.O.C.Sturt b J.S.E.Price 0 182 239-9d not out 55 240-4 179 2 501. Kent v Sussex, Tunbridge Wells, June 17, 19, 20 (Kent won by 208 runs) * c M.A.Buss b D.L.Bates 9 253 141 2 lbw b A.W.Greig 26 210-8d 114 2 502. Kent v Worcestershire, Tunbridge Wells, June 21, 22, 23 (Kent won by 202 runs) * c A.R.P.Barker b N.Gifford 30 129 106 c J.A.Ormrod b N.Gifford 42 252-8d 73 1 503. Kent v Northamptonshire, Peterborough, June 24, (25), 26 (Match drawn) * not out 80 160 210 2 504. Kent v Surrey, Kennington Oval, June 28, 29, 30 (Kent won by 72 runs) * b R.Harman 22 220 132 2 c S.J.Storey b P.I.Pocock 27 161-8d 177 1 51