Lives in Cricket No 32 - Eric Rowan

39 Restoration bowler throughout the series. Faced with an awkward twenty minutes to bat in difficult light, Melville decided to open with himself and van der Bijl, relegating Mitchell to number four. They negotiated the period safely, ending an excellent day for the Springboks. Rain on the Sunday and early on Monday prevented any play until two o’clock in the afternoon. As the pitch had not been covered there was much interest in just how it would play. The weather had ensured plenty of life in the surface, but the openers resisted superbly and the fifty came up in 65 minutes. To the delight of the crowd Melville reached his half-century and then the hundred partnership arrived in just 95 minutes. With the score on 108 and his own contribution 67, the South African captain failed to get over a leg break from Len Wilkinson and the catch went to Verity in the gully. Van der Bijl was out for 31 without addition to the score, but then Eric and Bruce Mitchell dug in to add 116 in 112 minutes. Mitchell was the more aggressive, scoring 63 before falling to a catch behind the wicket off Farnes. Eric and Nourse played out the remainder of the day with the former reaching his half-century just prior to stumps. Leading by 34 with seven wickets in hand and two days to play the South Africans were in a strong position, but rain forced them to sit and watch it fade away as the third day’s play was washed out. The locals had asked MCC for permission to cover the pitches in this series, but that request had been refused. Had the surface been covered little time would have been lost and there might have been a chance to level the series. With just one day remaining quick runs were required, but Eric and Nourse struggled to oblige, with only 38 being added in the first hour against some very good bowling. Eric was finally dismissed when Farnes got a yorker underneath his bat, bowling him for 85. His innings had taken 218 minutes and he was severely criticized by the media for failing to score faster. However, with so much rain on the pitch that was easier said than done. Melville declared at lunch with the total 340 for seven, but an opening partnership of 64 between Hutton and Paul Gibb settled the nerves and the match was comfortably saved with England 203 for four at the close. Because the series had not been decided the Fifth Test was to be played to a finish. Prior to the Second World War many Tests