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

1967/68 – M.C.C. in West Indies At last captain of an official overseas tour, Cowdrey seemed finally to come into his own. The series was won and the team was unbeaten. Cowdrey himself had another successful West Indies trip as a batsman, starting with a hundred in the first game and ending up as the most effective batsman in the side scoring over 500 in the series including two hundreds. He was generally at his most assertive mixing an attacking innings at Port of Spain, judging the run rate perfectly to force the decisive victory, with superb defence in the last Test to avoid defeat. Wisden referred to his “ruthlessly brilliant leadership” and his Kent partnership with Les Ames as manager added to the effectiveness of a well-organised tour. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 518. M.C.C. v President’s XI, Bridgetown, January 3, 4, 5, 6 (Match drawn) * c R.M.Edwards b Inshan Ali 139 365 435-9d 1 did not bat - 94-2 116-1d 519. M.C.C. v Trinidad, Port of Spain, January 9, 10, 11, 12 (Match drawn) * c D.L.Murray b H.Ramoutar 23 207 321 1 c B.A.Davis b A.Clarke 16 188-6 204-3d 520. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Port of Spain, January 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 (Match drawn) * c D.L.Murray b C.C.Griffith 72 568 - - - - 363 1 1 0 1 0 243-8 521. M.C.C. v Jamaica, Sabina Park, Kingston, January 31, February 1, 2, 3 (M.C.C. won by 174 runs) * lbw b M.L.C.Foster 35 135 98 3 c R.A.Pinnock b O.Miles 107 343-6d 206 1 522. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Sabina Park, Kingston, February 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 (Match drawn) * c D.L.Murray b L.R.Gibbs 101 376 143 lbw b G.St.A.Sobers 0 68-8 391-9d 523. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Bridgetown, February 29, March 1, 2, 4, 5 (Match drawn) * c G.St.A.Sobers b C.C.Griffith 1 449 349 1 284-6 524. M.C.C. v Windward Islands, Castries, St.Lucia, March 8, 9, (11) (Match drawn) * c C.Charlemagne b K.Laurent 14 215 165 2 not out 3 34-3 525. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Port of Spain, March 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 (England won by seven wickets) * c D.L.Murray b B.F.Butcher 148 414 526-7d c G.St.A.Sobers b L.R.Gibbs 71 215-3 92-2d 526. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Georgetown, March 28, 29, 30, April 2, 3 (Match drawn) * lbw b G.St.A.Sobers 59 371 414 1 lbw b L.R.Gibbs 82 206-9 264 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Test Matches 5 8 0 534 148 66.75 2 4 3 Other Matches 4 7 1 337 139 56.16 2 - 8 Season 9 15 1 871 148 62.21 4 4 11 Career 526 871 94 34217 307 44.03 85 184 500 Bowling O M R W BB Ave Test Matches (6-ball) 1 0 1 0 - - Career (6-ball) 674.1 85 } 2816 53 4-22 53.13 (8-ball) 14.3 0 53