Lives in Cricket No 32 - Eric Rowan

11 Melville who would figure prominently in Eric’s story many years later. Transvaal managed to salvage a draw, but he went to a catch behind the wicket for no score in the second innings. In spite of that failure the debut marked Eric Rowan as a player of some promise and it showed much that would highlight his cricket for the rest of his long career. He would always react well to pressure and was just the man a side needed in a crisis. However, that was for the future and he was not called on for the remainder of the season. The following summer of 1930/31 saw him again selected for a single game for Transvaal, against Percy Chapman’s MCC team. For the first time he opened the batting and he and Sid Curnow added 36 before Eric forgot the precepts of playing back and was lured forward by an Ian Peebles leg break only to be stumped by George Duckworth for 19. In the second innings he edged Bill Voce to Wally Hammond at slip for seven. Once again the selectors ignored him for the remainder of the season. Jane Rowan died on 2 February 1931, leaving Alf to bring up five children on his own. This was particularly hard on young Eric who adored his mother. Little is remembered in the family about her other than that she was very strict, was quite religious and had a beautiful singing voice. Perhaps this was a reason why Eric became an altar boy and a Sunday School teacher, something that might surprise those who later experienced his aggression on the cricket field. He would often wear his cricket gear under his church clothes so that he could rush off to play as soon as the service ended. In fact his mother was not keen on him playing cricket on Sundays, but the minister was more supportive, making sure that there was transportation available for the youngster as soon as the service had concluded. With the loss of his wife, Alf Rowan was at times not at his best and Eric assumed the responsibility of helping to look after his younger siblings. He felt particularly responsible for his youngest brother Athol who, like Eric, would also go on to represent South Africa, and became one of his country’s finest slow bowlers. Eric’s daughter, Diane, or Di as she is known, remembered that her father was very protective of his brothers and sisters throughout his life and they, in turn, were immensely proud of what their big brother had achieved. As a top sportsman himself, Alf was also supportive of his children’s endeavours. In an article written in the late 1940s Eric Growing Up