Lives in Cricket No 32 - Eric Rowan

77 Chapter Nine Consequences The South Africans tried to put the controversy behind them as they moved on to Lord’s for the Second Test. Nourse was deemed fit to play and to lead the side, but from the moment he lost the toss and England took first use of a pitch likely to favour spin the tourists were in trouble. In spite of the veteran Geoff Chubb earning a place on the Lord’s honours board with five for 77, England’s 311 was enough to win by ten wickets. Chief agent of their destruction was Roy Tattersall. His off breaks were close to unplayable as he took seven for 52 and five for 49 to remove the tourists for 115 and 211. After the Test a dinner was given by the Cricket Writers Association to present the first Young Cricketer Award. Fittingly, it had been won by Tattersall, and the recipient was delighted that Eric and a number of the South Africans attended. ‘I really appreciated their kindness and we had a great evening. Whenever we met, Eric was always most sociable. He had a keen sense of humour and was a joy to play against. I have nothing but happy memories of him both on and off the field.’ There were just two games between the Second and Third Tests to be played at Old Trafford. Nourse won the toss and decided to bat, but South Africa was in immediate trouble when Eric was dismissed for a duck in Alec Bedser’s first over. If Tattersall had destroyed the tourists in the previous match, this time it was Bedser’s turn. On a surface that offered him some assistance he took seven for 58 to dismiss South Africa for 158. In reply England reached 50 for one at stumps. The whole of the second day’s play was lost to rain and on the third the Springboks fought their way back into the match. Athol dismissed Len Hutton early and also captured the wickets of Tom Graveney and Freddie Brown. In a later interview Hutton was full of praise for Athol’s bowling, describing him as being in Jim Laker’s class and a better bowler in England than he was in South Africa. The most impressive bowler was the medium-fast Chubb. Having