Lives in Cricket No 32 - Eric Rowan

25 Chapter Three Australian Summer It was a weary group of South African players who were faced with a five-Test series against an Australian side led by veteran Vic Richardson. Players of the calibre of Bill Woodfull and Bill Ponsford had retired, while Don Bradman was unable to tour. The world’s finest batsman had not played since suffering a severe illness towards the end of the 1934 England tour. He was planning to make his comeback in the domestic Sheffield Shield, as his doctors had advised him against making the trip to South Africa because they were not sure how his recovery would go. In spite of Bradman’s absence, Richardson brought a strong side with Stan McCabe to lead the batting, following Bill Brown and Jack Fingleton at the top of the order. The real strength lay in the bowling attack with leg-spinners Clarrie Grimmett and Bill O’Reilly and the left-arm wrist spin of ‘Chuck’ Fleetwood-Smith, well supported by the pace of Ernie McCormick. The last-named was also something of a character. When the team was visiting a diamond mine they were impressed by the high level of security employed to prevent workers from stealing the gems, even to the extent of checking when they went to the toilet. ‘Looking for a flash in the pan, are you?’ was Ernie’s laconic comment. It was just one story from a tour that most Australian players would say was the happiest of their careers. To confront them was a tired and rather dispirited group of Springboks. In addition to the tragic loss of ‘Jock’ Cameron, Cyril Vincent had retired, while Xenophon Balaskas and Denis Tomlinson were still suffering from the effects of the illness which had taken their comrade’s life. In fact Tomlinson would take more than a year to make a recovery and he hardly played first-class cricket again. ‘Sandy’ Bell had yet to announce his retirement, but he was another who had played his last game for his country. How the remainder would fare against such a strong opposition was anyone’s guess. The players were not helped by the decision of the South African authorities not to hold the Currie Cup competition during the summer, feeling that it would detract attention from the Test