THE CHINA MAIL,
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1960.
SPORT WAS THEIR The jungle baby kept appointment with fame
By JOHN COTTRELL
Australia 601 for eight wickets declared. England eleven runs for three wickets. The Brisbane scoreboard told this story of England's dismal failure when a tall, burly figure emerged from the pavilion tugging nervously at the peak of his cap and squaring his heavy shoulders. He was just 21. And he was starting what seemed to be the longest walk of his life. Within minutes he would be making his Test match debut facing the thunderbolts of Lindwall and Miller in his baptism of fire.
The date was November 29, 1954, and Michael Colin Cow- drey had an appointment with destiny
Colin Cowdrey was destined for cricket from the day he born 结果 Bangalore,
wad
Southern India, on Chrisimas Eve, 1932.
From that moment his future was being planned by a strong- willed father whose own cricket ambillons had been frustrated by his conflicting Interests as a ten planter.
when, at the age of seven. he Later this complaint resulted slammed 93 runs for his school. The prize was an autographed bat from his Surrey idol Jack Hobbs. A letter came with the bat, "That letter encouraged me more than anything else." gays Cowdrey, "I framed it and hung it in my bedroom. "
in his discharge as a National Serviceman in the RAF and to- day he wears specially-made cricket boots and sometimes! takes pain-killing drugs.
Youngest
Strangely, it was Cowdrey the bowler, not Cowdrey the bats man, who made his mark in his first year at Tonbridge School. He was 13 and, promptly won a place in the public school's first eleven-batting at No. 11. By the end of that season he had
Even as he told in the Indian jungle Ernest Cowdrey dreamed of his new-born son's Florious future ón the playing Relds of England. And it was not just coincidence that the in- won promotion to No. 3 and fant's initials were M.C.C.national fame.. the same as the governing body of world cricket.
Playing in the Tanbridge- Clifton match at Lord's, he
I
But destiny still beckened and Cowdrey chuld not ignore
it. Even with one leg still in plaster and an Iron he resumed practice at the nets. That year, he was named by Wisden as the bat since the At 17, he captained the best schoolboy war. public Schools versus Combined Services and hit 126 and 55 not out, reached
1,000 runs in a
Oxford Blue
There was no checking him.
Yet
COLIN COWDREY
again, the young man Kent was from
a sensation. his 40 runs, With
including seven splendid fours, out of a
season, and made his county total of 190, he saved England
from collapse debut for Kent.
Cowdrey had fulfilled his destiny. But tragically his to see his father never lived sun's great triumph. He died in October, 1954, just as Colin. was landing at Perth and on the" eva of achieving the greatness he had so dearly wanted for him.
Intensive coaching made 75 and 44 and took the At 18, he gained his county cap
But here was a dreamer with the practical know-how to turn his greatest hope into reality. For from the age of four, Colin Cowdrey was
last five Clifton wickets to and hit his rat century in first- snatch a two-run victory for his class cricket. At 19, he won his only three school. He was 13.while no. Oxford Blue after
At 20. he slammed other player in either team was matches.
cne season, in- under 18. He was the youngest 1,917 runs in
two half centuries England Captain subjected to encricketer ever to play at Lord's; cluding intensive coaching programme. the youngest to play for a public against the Australian tourists. It was brilliantly conceived school first eleven.
And ac- ruthlessly executed. cording to all the rules of Messrs Freud and Jung it should have anti-sport the boy an given complex for life.
At Tonbridge, Cowdrey also became Head of the School, captain of cricket (at 15) and and pubilo schools rugby. raakels champion. Maurice Tale of England considered he was a better batsman than Bradman at the same age, All this despite the fact that Cowdry was auffering badly from a stiffening of the joints in bath big toes. At 16 be under- This was the key to his went a manipulative uperation future success. While a novice and for almost five months lay Instinctively swings his bat across the front of the body, in the school sick bay with his Cowdrey was compelled from legs in plaster and frons.
The family's tennis court, laid out in the Indian Jungle, served as a pitch. And four-year-old Colin was made to bat with his back to the net while his father bowled in a line parallel and very close to the net.
the
bat.
start to play a straight
With cross-bat action he would strike the net. And if he pulled the ball into the net his father would rule him "out." The net also prevented him from retreating from a delivery on the leg stump and his father's rules encouraged him to play into the ban and to drive to the off,
Incentive
Each time he hit the net with either bat or ball, Colin was penalised with a half-hour spell of bowling. Since he much -preferred batting, this was a strong incentive for playing atrokes correctly.
Even at four, Colin daily faced the bowling of his father and an Indian servant called Krishnan. Long before he could read, he was fully drilled in the straight- bat technique. His father knew. that leg-side strokes would come ensily enough in later years.
Recalling that tough training. Cowdrey told me: "It just shows what a small brain. I must have had not to be bored by it all" In fact, the training was successful only because he had remarkable patience and natural sporting ability,
Even at four, the boy was certain of his destiny. Orice his father took him to ki tallors in Bangalore and the boy quipped: "Should I book him now to make my England blazer?"
But Ernest Cowdrey was no Svengali of sport. He merely laid the foundations on which others might build his son into a Test cricketer. Thus the boy continued to make phenomenal progress with relatives in Eng- land and during his formal education there.
Boy wonder
Now he was encouraged, not by. one cricket fanatic, but by many. His grandparents and aunt loved the game. His pre- paratory school headmaster, Mr C. Walford, coached his boys four days a week and watches were played on two other days. The poshot of it all was that Cowdrey, the young man of destiny, developed faster than any schoolboy in cricket history, At six, he made a century at his
school. preparate was hailed by
At
oricket experts as the ber wonder of the century. the Jack Hobbs of the future 1. E certain Test player ho- fore he is 18".
ME Antilly a former Fry- land player and his school coach. then said: "He is the nearest to a professional player I have ever seen. It is unnalle bowls, Ing-breaks ürid gobete Like Tich Freeman and he bat Like Hobbs."
"But the proudest i racment in
Four D. Jones BY MADDOCKS
FERDINAND
NANCY
NEW AT THE GAME, MISTER?
By now cricket wan Cowdrey's life. Anything else had to be sacrificed. And when, in 1954, he was chosen to tour Australia with Len Hutton's various MCC party, be threw up his chance of gaining an aris of degree to make the trip.
On his Arst appearance at Sydney he hit two centuries-410 and 103 - against New South Wales. Then came the First Test and after fielding for two and a half days under a blazing as an England sum, his debat batsman'.
VADS,
STOP!
THĪS IS STUPID IT IS OBVIOUS THAT WE MUST CALL A SUMMIT MEETING
YES, MY DOCTOR SAID I HAVE TO REDUCE
BRICK BRADFORD
BRICK IS RIGHT!! WE CAN'T LEAVE BADIE DOWN THERE! WE'RE
·SONG DOWN!
GOODİ İLL PUT ON A PARAGUN!
DESTINY OLYMPIC MEMORIES
Oxford struggle for runs against South Africans
Oxford, May 11.
The South African cricketers who gained on
vincing wins in their first two matches made Oxford University struggle for runs on a day cut short by rain here today. At the close, the University i were 77 for four atter two, and n half hours battlög.
When Oxford criptain Alan Smith wor the toes and decided to but a hard wicket the prospects of rum-getting looked hopeful. But the rain which
By ARCHIE QUICK ·
This summer in Rome not far short of one thousand of the world's best athletes will be competing for the 45 gold medals given to the supreme winners of the running and field events in the Olympic Games.
The setting will be magnificent in the ancient City of
the Seven Hills, and, in complete contrast to the meeting in Melbourne four years ago, the repre- sentatives of the Northern Hemisphere will have the advantage. They will not be running out of
season as they did in Australia,
It is certain that Australia's leyel at 25ft 9ins. Then Owenă. men and women will excel on raced away.
the race track and at swimming He won with a finál jump of that the United States will | 28ft in and then for good throw in their big battalions at measure cipered 25ft 54in
better that. But
all the sports and that Russia record which still stands to this will challenge them. But will day. In this modern day and
of age, there cannot be anyone equal the record Burki has long been a Jesse Owens, the
than American competition difficult player to beat. Last negro who disgusted Adolt | Owens, in his Chicago home, year he hit a century against Hitler by his successes. So much will watch the proceedings the Indians.
Scoreboard
FIRST INNINGE Oxford University
held up the start for two hours A. C. Smith, e Duckworth, 140 minutes made the windret + Griffin
3ively and the University lost three batsmen with the total at 20.
Defiant stand
Pace bowler G, Grifßn häd both Smith and the Indian player Abbas Baig caught at the wicket by Chris Duckworth and Trevor Goddard and D. Green leg before.
■
M.
3
p. M. Green, lbw Goddard 17 AR. Baig, & Duckworth, b
Griffin
0
J. Burki, not out Nawab of Pataudi,
Tayfield
32
Ibw
14
C. A. Fry, not out
Extras
so that the Fuhrer walked out from ear with interest,
of the prize-giving ceremony.
A year before the Games Owens, a gentle man who is doing so much good in youth
⚫ welfare work in America at the moment, in the space of
one and a quarter, hours broke five world records --- and he was suffering from backache!
Lumbago
U.S.-CANADA
DAVIS CUP
TIE IN JULY
New York, May 11. The U.S. Davis Cup team will
meet
the first Canada in round of the American Zone competition si Quebec City
He also equalled a sixth global record in that time! 100 yards in 9.4 seconds, 200 metres Total (for wickets) 77 end 220 yards in 20.3 seconds,
200 metres and 220 yards low on July 15-17 · hurdles in 22.6 secs and final- The announcement was made ly with one jump only 26 | jointly today by W. Harcourt 8ins in the long jump, a re- Woods, chairman of the U.S. cord which still stands today Davis Cup Committee. and wafter a quarter of a century. Stephen T. Hagerman, a mana- There was no doubt that Jesseger of the American Zonz com- was in pain during these epoch- petition. making efforts. He had lumbago or today we would call it a
Wicketfails: 1-20, 2-20, 3-20,
A defiant fourth wicket 4-81. sland of 41 by the Pakistani Javed Burki (32 mot out) and the Nawab of Patandi (14) held up the South African tack until near the close when Pataudi was leg before to Tay- field
early reverses
were
After the Since then, M. C. Cowdrey Burk and the Nawab has played against every
naturally inclined to play care. cricketing
except country land in the absence Pakistan and has captained Eng-fully but the South African bowlers did not carry much of Peter
their previous danger after May. He has also married and
assault.. has son (Christopher Stuart, aged two of his own.
Will his son also have cricket thrust upon him" "No," says Colin Cowdrey.
now
a
"My father was very lucky he didn't turn me against cricket.lyr forcing the game on me so early in life. So I'm not going to take any chances with my son, If he happens to be a bookworm, well it will be just too bad."
were The batsmen cautious and both allowed a number of loose balls and hall volleys to, escape înpunished.
The Nawab took 84 minutes over 14. Charles Fry played urrough the last 46 minutes for five runs and at the close Burk! had been at the wicket for two and a quarter bolts.
UNFORTUNATELY THE PILFERING PIRATES STAND
I AGREE, OUR SILENTLY THINKING THINGS OVER
COUNTRIES
HE ORDERED ME TO PLAY GOLF FOR
EXERCISE
MUST TALK
WHAT HAS SHE
DONE TO YOU? HYPNOTIZED YOUR · YOU SEEM INFATUATED WITH THIS SPACE "PIRATE, BADIE}··
WE'LL DISCUSE, IT LATER, PAM! GET, UP, THE ELECTRO-MAGNETIC FIELD AROUND THE TIME TOR AS WE SO IN, DR.BASTLAND/
OKAY, GET YOUR BOYS TOGETHER, AND WE CAN COME TO SOME
ARRANGEMENT
By Mik
By Ernie Bushmiller
I HAD MY
CLUBS MADE
TO
ORDER
By Pand Norris
A FEW SECONDS LATER...DR BATTLAND SETTLES THE TWE-TOP OVER THE AREA
WHERE SÅDE IS TRYMS TO HIDE
ATHAT
CRAFT ASANI
Bowling To Date
OMR
j
Griffin Goddard Fellows - Smith Tayfield McKinnon
14 6 21
2
14 8 24
1
8 3 11
13
8.20
5
3 .4
Reuter.
Sports Diary
o slipped disc.
the
the
Twelve months later coloured man infuriated Hitler by his superiority over Germanic Aryans. In the last heat of the 100 metres Owens equalled the Olympic record with 10.3 secs and won by at least seven yards! In the next round he returned 10.2 and Stanley Shield seven-ide tourna-naturally he won the final with ment starts at HKFC, 5.30 p.m.
Hockey Annual meeting Gremlin Ladier' Hockey Club, KCC, 5.30 p.m.
Got Combined Services match Fanting.
TO-DAY Soccer
TO-MORROW
Combined Sylope. match
Sheaffer's
Newest
BALL POINT
PEN
AVAILABLE AT ·
ALL GOOD STOREL
Ah! That Food!
That Service! That Senssair!
SWISSAIR
he same or DUZİALLAR
ROWNTREE'S
DELICIOUS
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MILK CHOCOLATE BEANS
You can be SURE.
if it
ease.
If the US. team is success+ ful against the Canadians, the Americans will oppose Mexico at Mexico City on August 6-8.
If the American team, stilli unnamed, is involved in the American Zone Sipal the matches will be played at Cleve
land, Ohio, on September 18-18.
either Mexico or Canada comes through this bracket, the Zone Fing will be played in the country of the winner,
Other American Zone matches
Next day he twice ran 200 are: metres in 21.1secs for a now First round New Zealand at Olympic record and the follow-versus British West Indies on ing day. he won the anal by July 15-17 at either Georgetowa, or Caracas, four yards in 20.7. In between British Gulans, whiles be managed to take the Olympic, long "jump at .26tt 54ine. What a man, yet still more to come.
20-year record
On the final day, when the Nazis had given up their well- staged propaganda meciing aa Toes, Jesse was a member of the United States team which set up new Olymple Bgures for the 400 metres relay race and also returned a world record of 39.8 seconds,
Incidentally, this record stood for 20 years until the Americans beat it at Melbourne.
01-23ft 5ins this after he had
Venezuela.
Second round -Winner of above match versus Venezuela ert Caracas on July 22-24,-- AP.
Fight offer for Curvis
Sydney, May 1. Sydney Stadium manager, Me
Harry Miller said today ho would offer Welshurian Brian Curris a £42,000 guarantee to meet highly rated American Ralph Dupas, in Sydney, Stadiums Lifted are Austrę- lia's major boxing promoters.
Wales, Curvis at Swansea.
What annoyed the Germans so much was that after all these triumphs coloured Jesse Owens beat their own champion Luz on Monday tpointed Austra Long in the long jump. In the lian George Barnes to win the British Empire welterweight morning Owens barely failed to ütle, reach the qualifying standard Mr Miller said: *We will pay. Curvis and his trainer's done over three feet more a expenses which will come to: year earlier. Jesse gritted his £À400 on top of the guarantee. teeth. He beat the required Curvis also would have an option qualifying distance by only of 25 percent of the gate, 1/10th of an inch in his last jump, "This could easily come to but in the Anal, with two jumps £A3,500," he said-China Mall to go. Long and Owens were. Special.
-Although the work of the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association is planned to
needs meet the
of this particular community, it is also part of the universal effort to eradicate tuberculosis. Scientists, doctors and others specialising in the treatment of tuberculosis throughout the world have made great discoveries, during the last few years and the fruits of their labours are being made available to sufferers of this disease here in Hong Kong by the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association,
The future development and exten sion of the work of the Association depends very largely upon the Annuar Appeal for funds and it is good remember that every donation representa an investment in health protection for our children and for ourselves.
Chaques should be crossed and address.
1⁄2 #The Hong-Kong Anti-Tuberei
Hole Low, Bingham
Alexandra Houm
4/o this Newagasarā