Kent cricket (n/g, obviously)
- Thread starter madrid_gill
- Start date
What a great team that was
OneSirKeefy
Vital Football Hero
I occasionally played on that old Gillingham pitch during the 80’s. It was an absolute shocker by then. I was stunned to learn they’d played first class cricket on it just a few years previously. And one team played a fund raising game against a side that included a few of the touring West Indies side! Deadly.
Detritus
Vital Squad Member
I went to Maidstone Grammar School in the 70s which is across the road from the Mote. We used to be able to get in for free after school to watch when Kent played there. Used to wait for autographs as well. Colin Cowdrey was another one who had time for us kids. He used to make us carry his bag to his car though before signing. Bloody heavy it was too, used to take a couple of us to carry it!
chris who
Vital Champions League
I saw him play magnificently against the Australian tourist just over 45 years ago now .This article describes the innings better than I can.
By Julian Guyer
Canterbury: Kent are set to concede a huge first-innings lead in their tour match against Australia, but 40 years ago this week on the same Canterbury ground, Colin Cowdrey produced a remarkable innings as they recovered to beat the feared 1975 Australians. For generations of cricket lovers, Cowdrey was the epitome of classical elegance at the crease.
But in 1975, at the age of 42, the batting great was coming to the end of his career, having been summoned as a late replacement for a record-equalling sixth tour of Australia in 1974/75 as England were overwhelmed by the ferocity and guile of fast-bowling pair Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson.
A few months later, Cowdrey found himself up against the Australians again but this time at his beloved St Lawrence ground in Canterbury.
Desperate for one more big innings against the old foe, his unbeaten 151 out of a second innings score of 354 saw Kent, more than 200 runs behind on first innings, win by four wickets as they beat Australia for the first time since 1899.
For Graham Johnson, who opened for Kent in that match, the memory of the game and Cowdrey's innings in particular remains bright four decades on.
"The end result was amazing because the last day, you couldn't have written a script better than that, especially with Colin playing an innings like that," Johnson told AFP in an interview in the Canterbury pavilion.
"He'd come back from that winter when he had got all that stick for being flown out to Australia and getting bombarded," added the 68-year-old Johnson, now Kent's chairman of cricket, who spent several seasons in the same county side as Cowdrey.
"Leading us to that win was fantastic. The position we got ourselves into in the match was quite funny. We got rolled over and Australia didn't enforce the follow-on," said Johnson.
"They wanted a bit of batting practice and I do remember one thing that set us up a little bit. Ian Chappell, their captain, decided 'we'll get some batting practice' and had ordered the team bus to be their early because they wanted to get on to the next game," he added.
But Johnson added the Kent side had an inkling Cowdrey, out for 22 in the first innings when going well, might do something special.
"Just seeing the level he was playing at...You sort of sensed in the dressing room that he saw it as a bit special."
Master at work
But with Lillee leading an attack that, although missing the rested Thomson, still featured lively left-arm swing bowler Gary Gilmour and off-spinner Ashley Mallett, runs were not easy to come by.
Johnson, however, said Cowdrey, who died aged 67 in 2000, could bat at a level most players could only aspire to when in top form.
"Master at work is a simple way of describing it," said Johnson.
"I opened in that match and I got out to Gilmour twice. Lillee and Gilmour opened the bowling, Thommo didn't play that game. But with a new 'nut' [ball] in those days, without helmets and things, which people forget, it was testing."
"In our second innings, they got a couple of breakthroughs, myself, Brian Luckhurst. We rebuilt a bit, Colin was there, and Bob Woolmer [71 not out] got injured before coming back and seeing it through at the end."
"Out of 354, if one guy is there and gets 151, it says it pretty much. When you are playing against the likes of Lillee and people at that level, some people are surviving and others are getting on top of it. "
"Colin was in a great form, it was a special innings, and, as I say, it felt like watching the master at work, which is what he was when he was on form."
"Some of the Aussies might even have admired some of it, much as they would have been contesting the result," Johnson said.
Published:Sat, June 27, 2015 6:23am
Last edited:
OneSirKeefy
Vital Football Hero
I saw him play magnificently against the Australian tourist just over 45 years ago now .This article describes the innings better than I can.
By Julian Guyer
Canterbury: Kent are set to concede a huge first-innings lead in their tour match against Australia, but 40 years ago this week on the same Canterbury ground, Colin Cowdrey produced a remarkable innings as they recovered to beat the feared 1975 Australians. For generations of cricket lovers, Cowdrey was the epitome of classical elegance at the crease.
But in 1975, at the age of 42, the batting great was coming to the end of his career, having been summoned as a late replacement for a record-equalling sixth tour of Australia in 1974/75 as England were overwhelmed by the ferocity and guile of fast-bowling pair Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson.
A few months later, Cowdrey found himself up against the Australians again but this time at his beloved St Lawrence ground in Canterbury.
Desperate for one more big innings against the old foe, his unbeaten 151 out of a second innings score of 354 saw Kent, more than 200 runs behind on first innings, win by four wickets as they beat Australia for the first time since 1899.
For Graham Johnson, who opened for Kent in that match, the memory of the game and Cowdrey's innings in particular remains bright four decades on.
"The end result was amazing because the last day, you couldn't have written a script better than that, especially with Colin playing an innings like that," Johnson told AFP in an interview in the Canterbury pavilion.
"He'd come back from that winter when he had got all that stick for being flown out to Australia and getting bombarded," added the 68-year-old Johnson, now Kent's chairman of cricket, who spent several seasons in the same county side as Cowdrey.
"Leading us to that win was fantastic. The position we got ourselves into in the match was quite funny. We got rolled over and Australia didn't enforce the follow-on," said Johnson.
"They wanted a bit of batting practice and I do remember one thing that set us up a little bit. Ian Chappell, their captain, decided 'we'll get some batting practice' and had ordered the team bus to be their early because they wanted to get on to the next game," he added.
But Johnson added the Kent side had an inkling Cowdrey, out for 22 in the first innings when going well, might do something special.
"Just seeing the level he was playing at...You sort of sensed in the dressing room that he saw it as a bit special."
Master at work
But with Lillee leading an attack that, although missing the rested Thomson, still featured lively left-arm swing bowler Gary Gilmour and off-spinner Ashley Mallett, runs were not easy to come by.
Johnson, however, said Cowdrey, who died aged 67 in 2000, could bat at a level most players could only aspire to when in top form.
"Master at work is a simple way of describing it," said Johnson.
"I opened in that match and I got out to Gilmour twice. Lillee and Gilmour opened the bowling, Thommo didn't play that game. But with a new 'nut' [ball] in those days, without helmets and things, which people forget, it was testing."
"In our second innings, they got a couple of breakthroughs, myself, Brian Luckhurst. We rebuilt a bit, Colin was there, and Bob Woolmer [71 not out] got injured before coming back and seeing it through at the end."
"Out of 354, if one guy is there and gets 151, it says it pretty much. When you are playing against the likes of Lillee and people at that level, some people are surviving and others are getting on top of it. "
"Colin was in a great form, it was a special innings, and, as I say, it felt like watching the master at work, which is what he was when he was on form."
"Some of the Aussies might even have admired some of it, much as they would have been contesting the result," Johnson said.
Published:Sat, June 27, 2015 6:23am
That innings in Perth v the fearsome Aussie attack of Lillee and Thommo on a lightning quick track is part of folklore.
Thommo tells the tale of it being the first time he’d ever come across Colin Cowdrey. He peppered a few real quick ones around his head, then Colin got a single and got up the non-strikers end. As Thommo walked past on his way back to the top of his run, Cowdrey held out his hand and said “Hello, I’m Colin Cowdrey, how do you do” and shook his hand
Brilliant stuff and great times. Not for the batsmen tho.
Chris, I was lucky enough to witness that innings and it was one of the best batting innings ever, the faster they bowled the harder he hit it, what a memorable matchI saw him play magnificently against the Australian tourist just over 45 years ago now .This article describes the innings better than I can.
By Julian Guyer
Canterbury: Kent are set to concede a huge first-innings lead in their tour match against Australia, but 40 years ago this week on the same Canterbury ground, Colin Cowdrey produced a remarkable innings as they recovered to beat the feared 1975 Australians. For generations of cricket lovers, Cowdrey was the epitome of classical elegance at the crease.
But in 1975, at the age of 42, the batting great was coming to the end of his career, having been summoned as a late replacement for a record-equalling sixth tour of Australia in 1974/75 as England were overwhelmed by the ferocity and guile of fast-bowling pair Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson.
A few months later, Cowdrey found himself up against the Australians again but this time at his beloved St Lawrence ground in Canterbury.
Desperate for one more big innings against the old foe, his unbeaten 151 out of a second innings score of 354 saw Kent, more than 200 runs behind on first innings, win by four wickets as they beat Australia for the first time since 1899.
For Graham Johnson, who opened for Kent in that match, the memory of the game and Cowdrey's innings in particular remains bright four decades on.
"The end result was amazing because the last day, you couldn't have written a script better than that, especially with Colin playing an innings like that," Johnson told AFP in an interview in the Canterbury pavilion.
"He'd come back from that winter when he had got all that stick for being flown out to Australia and getting bombarded," added the 68-year-old Johnson, now Kent's chairman of cricket, who spent several seasons in the same county side as Cowdrey.
"Leading us to that win was fantastic. The position we got ourselves into in the match was quite funny. We got rolled over and Australia didn't enforce the follow-on," said Johnson.
"They wanted a bit of batting practice and I do remember one thing that set us up a little bit. Ian Chappell, their captain, decided 'we'll get some batting practice' and had ordered the team bus to be their early because they wanted to get on to the next game," he added.
But Johnson added the Kent side had an inkling Cowdrey, out for 22 in the first innings when going well, might do something special.
"Just seeing the level he was playing at...You sort of sensed in the dressing room that he saw it as a bit special."
Master at work
But with Lillee leading an attack that, although missing the rested Thomson, still featured lively left-arm swing bowler Gary Gilmour and off-spinner Ashley Mallett, runs were not easy to come by.
Johnson, however, said Cowdrey, who died aged 67 in 2000, could bat at a level most players could only aspire to when in top form.
"Master at work is a simple way of describing it," said Johnson.
"I opened in that match and I got out to Gilmour twice. Lillee and Gilmour opened the bowling, Thommo didn't play that game. But with a new 'nut' [ball] in those days, without helmets and things, which people forget, it was testing."
"In our second innings, they got a couple of breakthroughs, myself, Brian Luckhurst. We rebuilt a bit, Colin was there, and Bob Woolmer [71 not out] got injured before coming back and seeing it through at the end."
"Out of 354, if one guy is there and gets 151, it says it pretty much. When you are playing against the likes of Lillee and people at that level, some people are surviving and others are getting on top of it. "
"Colin was in a great form, it was a special innings, and, as I say, it felt like watching the master at work, which is what he was when he was on form."
"Some of the Aussies might even have admired some of it, much as they would have been contesting the result," Johnson said.
Published:Sat, June 27, 2015 6:23am
madrid_gill
Vital 1st Team Regular
Continuing to go well this morning, 300 partnership between Cox and Leaning has just come up.
Didn't realise until the commentators mentioned it earlier that the first innings in this competition is limited to 120 overs, so Kent aren't going to get the chance to bat Sussex out of the game completely. 412/1 after 100 overs, so another 20 overs to try to add as many runs as possible. With so many wickets in hand, probably worth treating it more as a T20 match for the rest of this innings.
Alderman Barnes
Vital Squad Member
What's happened to the live coverage? I seem to have lost it completely.
Romany
Vital Squad Member
They're at Lunch
Alderman Barnes
Vital Squad Member
The Kent website seems very shaky today, taking ages to load, if at all.
madrid_gill
Vital 1st Team Regular
Been OK for me, although the commentary and the images are way out of sync.
bathnightattheminogu
Vital Reserves Team
I too was at that game, with my dad.
I remember Bob Woolmer retiring hurt as well only to then come back in and see us over the line with Sir Colin
madrid_gill
Vital 1st Team Regular
Sussex lose a wicket 4th ball in their reply to Kent's 530/1. Great catch by Leaning at 2nd slip.
Alderman Barnes
Vital Squad Member
It's working for me now, and Sussex have already lost their opener 0/1 !!
chris who
Vital Champions League
What impressed me then I remember in he hit 151 but not one shot was of any risk of being out.A pure chanceless display. Frankly the Australian captain could have put his field anywhere there was no way Cowdrey was going to be out that day.
