Lives in Cricket No 1 - Allan Watkins

record for Test matches, and Compton was also approaching three figures when Allan joined him at 516 for three. For a while he was content to play second fiddle, but after Compton’s dismissal the remaining wickets fell quickly, Allan’s among them for just 7. There were two more catches for Allan, the one that accounted for Dawson taking the headlines back in Wales, and his first Test wicket came when Tuckett was stumped by Evans. Following on 293 in arrears but in conditions still favourable to the bat, South Africa’s second innings was notable for an unbeaten 156 from Eric Rowan, who had already been dropped from the side for the third Test of the series, but who now steered his country to safety. With the Cape Town Test starting just two days later, on the beautiful Newlands ground, the players broke with tradition by flying from Johannesburg. England again won the toss and chose to bat. They had reached 151 for three when Allan joined Washbrook. When the Lancashire batsman was immediately out, there was a need to retrench. Helping his captain add 51, Allan batted usefully to reach 27, his first double figure score in six Test starts, and England were glad to reach 308. The South Africans replied with 356, their innings built around centuries by Mitchell and Nourse. Yet, with Mitchell’s 120 taking 344 minutes, England never truly surrendered the initiative. By the close of the third day, with only Washbrook out, they led by 37 runs. Making the game safe was the first priority when Hutton and Crapp resumed next day but, though his side were one up in the series, George Mann still determined that he would push for victory. He took Allan to one side before he went in. “‘I haven’t told Denis,’ he said, ‘but we’re going to declare.’ So I went in and said, ‘Denis, you’d better get on with it.’ He was about five when I went in, but I beat him to his fifty. Coming off, he came up to me, ‘You bloody Welsh bastard!’ he said. That’s what he always called me!” Allan had gone to the wicket with his future as a Test player in the balance, but he played his strokes with freedom, his undefeated 64 taking just 103 minutes and containing nine fours. Mann’s declaration set South Africa to make 229 in 125 minutes, but their batsmen could not be tempted. Following the leisurely pattern of tours in the early post-war years, there were five provincial matches before MCC returned to Johannesburg for the fourth Test. A pitch less accommodating to the bat had been prepared by the Ellis Park ground staff, but England were still glad to bat first. Washbrook was again in good 50 South African Adventure