Lives in Cricket No 32 - Eric Rowan

35 was based around the spin of Hedley Verity and the pace of the giant Essex fast bowler Ken Farnes. Doug Wright who bowled his leg breaks off an unorthodox bounding run could also be a match winner on his day. The fast-medium Reg Perks, leg-spinner Len Wilkinson and Tom Goddard, off-breaks, completed the party. The South Africans had a new captain as Herby Wade had retired. The man given the job was Alan Melville. He had played for Natal between 1928 and 1930 before moving to England where he represented Oxford University and Sussex, captaining both. He had returned to South Africa for the 1936/37 season, playing one game, and the following season he had averaged just fifteen in six matches. In spite of his poor form, due in some part to indifferent health, his knowledge of the English players and his captaincy experience saw him gain the position for all five Tests ahead of Dudley Nourse and Eric. In The Cricketer Spring Annual 1938 Louis Duffus mentions Melville, ‘Tuppy’ Owen-Smith and Bob Harvey as possible captains with Melville being the frontrunner. This is not surprising as Owen-Smith had not played for South Africa since 1929 and Harvey had failed in his only two Test appearances against the Australians. The article makes no mention of Eric, but Restoration The 1938/39 MCC team. Back row: (l to r) W.J.Edrich, D.V.P.Wright, E.Paynter, W.Ferguson (scorer/baggage master). Middle row: L.L.Wilkinson, H.Verity, H.T.Bartlett, T.W.J.Goddard, R.T.D.Perks, L.Hutton, P.A.Gibb. Front row: C.R.Ridgeway (South African manager), K.Farnes, N.W.D.Yardley (vice-captain), W.R.Hammond (captain), L.E.G.Ames, B.H.Valentine, A.J.Holmes (manager). [Bassano Collection]