Lives in Cricket No 32 - Eric Rowan

28 The South Africans fought hard in their second innings thanks to Dudley Nourse (91) and Siedle (59), but no one stayed longer than Eric, who spent 148 minutes making 49 before Grimmett found a way through his defence. It had been tough going as he played six maidens in a row off Grimmett before getting off the mark with a single. He had reached 33 not out by stumps on the third day, and with Dudley Nourse (48 not out) had been successfully rebuilding the innings. Eric had survived a stumping chance off Fleetwood- Smith when Bert Oldfield fumbled the ball. It was not the first and would not be the last time the veteran keeper failed to deal with the left-arm spinner. After the partnership had added a further 40 runs in the first hour of the fourth day, Eric was bowled by a Grimmett googly. Reflecting on his performance he said ‘I had a little bit of luck against Clarrie Grimmett and Tiger O’Reilly. If you don’t have that you soon get put out.’ Nourse went on to 91, but the remainder of the batting struggled and the Australians were able to complete an easy win. Eric also had some comments about the tourists and their bowlers. ‘I liked the Aussies. They would speak to you in language that wasn’t exactly the Queen’s English. I learnt from them and would answer in kind. We had a full go at one another. Those spinners were two cunning blokes. Grimmett used the crease to vary his bowling. You never know where it was coming from, wide of the crease, over the stumps, a yard back. Tiger just mesmerized people. The ball would leave his hand and never seem to come to you. He was a great bowler.’ It is no surprise that Eric identified with the tourists, as his tough, no-nonsense attitude to the game was more in keeping with them than with the more restrained approach of his countrymen. The Second Test at the Old Wanderers ground in Johannesburg was the first to be played in South Africa on a turf pitch, and it turned out to be a classic contest. Wade won the toss and decided to bat, but the opportunity was wasted as his side struggled to 78 for six at lunch against the pace of McCormick and the spin of O’Reilly. Any recovery was minimal and the innings closed for just 157. Eric top-scored with 38, defying the bowlers for 133 minutes, before he was leg before to a Grimmett googly. The Australians replied with 250, a useful but not commanding lead. They were restricted by some good bowling from Langton (4/26) and a demolition of the tail by Mitchell (4/26) with his leg breaks. Australian Summer