Lives in Cricket No 32 - Eric Rowan

53 The task confronting the home side on the last day was simple, bat it out or go two down in the series. Mitchell was an obdurate customer at the best of times and on this day he spent 163 minutes making 40. When he was dismissed Nourse took 184 minutes over an undefeated 56. But Eric was the star of the show, batting throughout the day, making his maiden Test century and being 156 not out when stumps were drawn with the South Africans 270 for two and the match comfortably saved. He had survived a chance to Mann off the bowling of Wright when he was 59, but apart from that he was a model of concentration. Brother Athol was glowing in his praise. ‘It was typical of Eric and his dogged determination. It was the selectors’ problem. He accepted it as a challenge and went out to bat with no box or gloves and proceeded to give the occasional Churchillian gesture towards where the selectors were sitting.’ The gestures, particularly the one when he reached his century, drew the ire of the authorities and he found himself hauled before them to explain. Eric was unrepentant when they told him his gestures were obscene. ‘It’s Churchill, V for victory,’ he said, ‘how can it be obscene?’ When one said it looked obscene from where The ‘V’ Sign Eric, minus batting gloves, and Bruce Mitchell, walk out to open the South African innings against England in 1948/49. [Bassano Collection]