Lives in Cricket No 32 - Eric Rowan

88 342 with Peter Gibb (203) against North Eastern Transvaal at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. The previous best was 265 by ‘Jock’ Cameron and Quintin McMillan against Orange Free State in 1928/29. It was also the highest partnership for any Transvaal wicket, beating the 325 set by Cameron and ‘Dooley’ Briscoe against Griqualand West in 1934/35. There was also the small matter of an opening partnership of 274 against Border. ‘Scotch’ Taylor made 164 and Eric 157. The veteran reached his century in just 112 minutes, one of the fastest of his career. One of the main reasons for Transvaal’s success, aside from the form of the captain, was the emergence of young fast bowler Neil Adcock, who took 31 wickets at 14.90 in his first season. It was Eric who had immediately recognized the youngster’s talent after first meeting him following his return from the 1951 England tour. In a letter to the author, Adcock said, ‘I was playing with the Jeppe third team when he spotted me and within three weeks I was playing in the first team. This was purely due to Eric’s determination in driving me to improve my ability in becoming a fast bowler.’ Adcock was also in a position to comment on Eric’s leadership. ‘He was a very astute captain at all levels and should have been made captain of the Springbok team that toured Australia in 1952/53.’ However, Adcock also understood why that never happened. ‘Eric offended many people who did not agree with him mainly because he expected everyone to follow him.’ But there was a reward for those who followed his leadership. ‘During my early days with Transvaal I was fortunate to be guided by Eric as to what to bowl to certain batsmen and he always set an attacking field. He would not accept some of the wide bowling we see in today’s Test matches.’ Adcock went on to play 26 Tests between 1953/54 and his retirement at the end of the 1961/62 summer, taking 104 wickets at the exceptionally good average of 21.10. He remained indebted to his first captain. ‘I am quite sure that without Eric’s driving and determination I would not have become a Test match bowler.’ If he had achieved nothing else in cricket, Eric’s championing of Neil Adcock gave his country one of its finest fast bowlers. Having proved his point the previous summer, and with no possible return to international cricket against New Zealand who were touring South Africa for the first time, Eric finally lost the motivation to continue at first-class level. There was not even the The Last Hurrah