Eric Rowan
Encyclopedia
Eric Alfred Burchell Rowan, born on 20 July 1909 and died at Johannesburg
on 30 April 1993, was a cricket
er who played for Transvaal
, Eastern Province
and South Africa.
An opening batsman, Rowan was a dominant personality in South African cricket for more than 20 years on either side of the Second World War. He sometimes batted without gloves and, allegedly, without a "box" protector, and he was fearless against authority too. This led at times to his omission from the South African Test
team, notably when he was left out of the 1947 tour to England.
Rowan played for Transvaal from the age of 20, but had to wait five years before making his Test debut on the 1935 tour to England. He had limited success in the Tests on this tour, with a highest score of just 62, but was the leading scorer in first-class games, with 1,948 runs in total and six centuries. In the series against Australia
that followed, he began well with 66 and 49 in the first Test, but failed against Clarrie Grimmett
in the next two Tests, and was dropped from the team.
Returning to the South African Test team in the 1938-39 series against England
, Rowan appeared to have cemented his place with 284 runs in four matches, with a top score of 89 not out. But it was another 10 years before he played Test cricket again, as his clashes with authority led to his omission. Even when he was reinstated, in the 1948-49 home series against England, it was announced during the second Test at Johannesburg that he would be dropped for the next match: he responded by scoring an unbeaten 156 that enabled his team to salvage a draw after they had been 293 behind on the first innings. He played another match-saving innings in the fourth Test of the series.
Rowan's second Test century was 143 against Australia at Durban
in 1949-50, the first series since 1935 where he had played all five Tests, and on the 1951 tour to England, his rehabilitation appeared complete, as he was appointed vice-captain to Dudley Nourse
. On this tour, he hit his highest Test score, 236, in the match at Headingley. He topped both the Test and the first-class averages and his feats led to him being named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year the following year. But he remained dogged by controversy: in the match against Lancashire
, Rowan and wicket-keeper
John Waite
were barracked for slow scoring, and responded by sitting down on the pitch until there was quiet. Later there was a scuffle involving Rowan in the pavilion.
Though by this time well beyond 40, Rowan's subsequent omission from the South African touring team to Australia in 1952-53 was a further surprise. He responded by having his best season in South African domestic cricket, but he did not play Test cricket again and retired shortly afterwards.
His younger brother, Athol
, was an off-spin bowler who played 17 Tests for South Africa after the Second World War.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
on 30 April 1993, was a cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played for Transvaal
Transvaal cricket team
Gauteng cricket team is the first-class cricket team of the province of Gauteng in South Africa....
, Eastern Province
Eastern Province cricket team
Eastern Province cricket team is the team representing the Eastern Province in domestic first-class cricket in South Africa.-Honours:* Currie Cup - 1988–89, 1991–92; shared - 1989–90* Standard Bank Cup - 1989–90, 1991–92...
and South Africa.
An opening batsman, Rowan was a dominant personality in South African cricket for more than 20 years on either side of the Second World War. He sometimes batted without gloves and, allegedly, without a "box" protector, and he was fearless against authority too. This led at times to his omission from the South African Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
team, notably when he was left out of the 1947 tour to England.
Rowan played for Transvaal from the age of 20, but had to wait five years before making his Test debut on the 1935 tour to England. He had limited success in the Tests on this tour, with a highest score of just 62, but was the leading scorer in first-class games, with 1,948 runs in total and six centuries. In the series against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
that followed, he began well with 66 and 49 in the first Test, but failed against Clarrie Grimmett
Clarrie Grimmett
Clarence Victor "Clarrie" Grimmett was a cricketer; although born in New Zealand, he played most of his cricket in Australia. He is thought by many to be one of the finest early spin bowlers, and usually credited as the developer of the flipper.Grimmett was born in Caversham a suburb of Dunedin,...
in the next two Tests, and was dropped from the team.
Returning to the South African Test team in the 1938-39 series against England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
, Rowan appeared to have cemented his place with 284 runs in four matches, with a top score of 89 not out. But it was another 10 years before he played Test cricket again, as his clashes with authority led to his omission. Even when he was reinstated, in the 1948-49 home series against England, it was announced during the second Test at Johannesburg that he would be dropped for the next match: he responded by scoring an unbeaten 156 that enabled his team to salvage a draw after they had been 293 behind on the first innings. He played another match-saving innings in the fourth Test of the series.
Rowan's second Test century was 143 against Australia at Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
in 1949-50, the first series since 1935 where he had played all five Tests, and on the 1951 tour to England, his rehabilitation appeared complete, as he was appointed vice-captain to Dudley Nourse
Dudley Nourse
Arthur Dudley Nourse was a South African Test cricketer and batsmanThe son of batsman Arthur Nourse, Nourse played 34 Test matches in a long career of sixteen years...
. On this tour, he hit his highest Test score, 236, in the match at Headingley. He topped both the Test and the first-class averages and his feats led to him being named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year the following year. But he remained dogged by controversy: in the match against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, Rowan and wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
John Waite
John Waite
John Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
were barracked for slow scoring, and responded by sitting down on the pitch until there was quiet. Later there was a scuffle involving Rowan in the pavilion.
Though by this time well beyond 40, Rowan's subsequent omission from the South African touring team to Australia in 1952-53 was a further surprise. He responded by having his best season in South African domestic cricket, but he did not play Test cricket again and retired shortly afterwards.
His younger brother, Athol
Athol Rowan
Athol Matthew Burchell Rowan was a South African cricketer who played in fifteen Tests from 1947 to 1951. His older brother, Eric, also played Test cricket for South Africa....
, was an off-spin bowler who played 17 Tests for South Africa after the Second World War.