Drawn Test - a jewel in England-Windies series

By A.C. De Silva

Rohan Kanhai (West Indies) hit 73 the top score in the West Indies first innings score of 301 against England.	Fred Trueman had a big haul of 6 for 100 in first innings and 5 for 52 in second innings.	Charlie Griffith of West Indies took 5 for 91 in England’s first innings score of 297. He won 3 for 59 in the second innings total of 228 for 9 wts.

Cricket has been a game that has had a vast following right through the years. England, Australia and the West Indies have had a big following right through the years. The 1963, West Indies tour of England produced by far the most exciting and dramatic Test series ever played between the two countries in England. For once, an outrageously talented West Indian side, armed with an intimidating pace attack and packed with powerful stroke-makers, failed to achieve a 'walk-over'.

Although eventually defeated in the series, England rose to the Caribbean challenge with some inspired cricket that was at times almost a match for the visitors in fire and flair.

The Lord's Test was the jewel of the series - although it was the only drawn match, and played in grime June weather that constantly interrupted proceedings with bad light and rain.

Hunte - 3 fours off 183 balls

West Indies batted first and Conrad Hunte opened the game with a flourish like a fanfare of trumpets, three fours off the first three balls from Freddie Trueman. In the West Indies first innings, Garfield Sobers and Rohan Kanhai threatened to break away, adding 63 at a run-a-minute, but both were eventually trapped before they could make a big innings.

Wesley Hall.... had a haul of 4 for 93 in the England 2nd innings total of 228 for 9 wkts. He also batted well to make 25 for West Indies in total of 301.	Fred Trueman – had a record haul of 6 for 100 in West Indies first innings score of 301 and had another rich haul of 5 for 52 in the windies 2nd innings score of 229.	Basil Batcher – made the top score of 133 in the West Indies total of 229 in the second innings. It was the top score in the match.

Trueman was at his most fiery best, taking 6 for 100, although he suffered the indignity of being cracked for tour boundaries by his arch enemy Wes Hall.

England's response to the West Indies 301 was a roller-coaster of an innings. At first it seemed the pace attack of Hall and Griffith, with the West Indies in the crowd baying at their backs, would rip England apart. But with two wickets down for 20, Ted Dexter stood up to Hall and hit him fearlessly through the covers for four. Dexter reached 50 in 48 minutes and had made 70 out of a team score of 102 for 3 when Sobers trapped him leg-before. Still England were drifting to a successful first innings deficit, slipping to 206 for 6 - then Titmus not asked to bowl in the West Indies - even a ball, came up with something spectacular making 56 not out and took England to within four of the opponent's total.

Windies collapse 104/5

In the second innings, West Indies reduced possibly to the strongest fielding side of the world to 104 for 5. The great Sobers, dropped at slip by Close when on four, still made only 8 - caught behind off Trueman. Basil Butcher hit a glorious century and aided by Frank Worell playing his last Lord's Test, restored West Indian dominance. By the end of the 3rd day, the West Indies were 218 ahead with 5 wickets still to fale.

West Indies collapse

Start of 4th day saw West Indies fall apart in a remarkable collapse. Trueman and Shackleton rattled down the last 5 wickets in just 25 minutes, bringing Trueman's match figures to 11 for 152. England needed 234 to win with ample time, weather permitting.

England 31/3

Ted Dexter....made 70 in England’s’ first innings score of 297.	Ken Barrington made the top score of 80 in the first innings total of 297 and made 60 in the 2nd innings total of 228 for 9 for England.

But things didn't turn out to be rosy for England and they were soon in trouble at 31 for 3, Lance Gibbs accounted for Dexter, but more typical was the dismissal of opener Mickey Steward caught off his gloves as he ducked to evade a Hall bouncer.

Cowdrey and Bassington dug in, though constantly they were battered on the hand and body. With the score at 72, a ball from Hall reared up and struck Cowdrey on the left-arm.

The batsman was helped off the field in dreadful pain, the bone of his forearm broken.

Barrington's immediate response says much of England's spirit in the match, two sixes hit into the grandstand off Gibbs next over. When play was called off for bad light just after tea, England needed 118 to win. The match did not resume until lunch on the final day.

When the persistent drizzle went away, there were 200 minutes play left and Hall and Griffith powered the ball - the first hour produced only 18 runs. By tea, with Barrington and Parks and, England were 171 for 5 wickets, still needing 63 runs in 85 minutes.

Brian Close - the hero

The hero of the innings was Brian Close. He weathered the storm of Hall and Griffith for about 4 fours. He also hit some powerful blows to the boundary. Close went on to make 50. With 45 minutes to go, England needed 34 to win and looked as if they would get there, even though the West Indies only bowled 14 overs an hour. Wickets tumbled then and Titmus was out for 11 and Trueman was out for a 'duck' and England now had 2 wickets left, plus the injured Cowdrey.

Close progressed to 70 and England were 15 runs away from victory. Close then swung for a four and the score came to 219 for 8 wickets. Shackelton and Allen - the last fit batsmen scrambled singles.

Finally eight runs were needed off the last over to be bowled by Wesley Hall in semi darkness. Singles came off the 2nd and 3rd balls. The fourth delivery Shakelton missed. As the ball went through to the wicket keeper, Allan ran.

Shakelton was slow to start, Murray threw the ball to Worrell at short-leg, and the two oldest men in the match raced one another along the pitch, Worrell winning by a length to knock down the wicket and run Shackleton out.

So, down the steps of the pavilion walked Colin Cowdrey, his arm in plaster, intending if necessary to bat one-handed. But Allen stoutly defied Hall's last two deliveries and the players were racing off, mobbed by a rousing hysterical crowd. Minutes later, a cloudburst deluged Lord's in torrential rain.

How ironic that one of the greatest Test matches ever played should have been a rain-affected draw!

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES – 1ST INNINGS

Hunte c Close b Trueman 			44
E. McMorris lbw b Trueman 			16
G. Sobers c Cowdrey b Allen 			42
R. Kanhai c Edricj b Trueman 			73
B. Butcher c Barrington b Trueman 		14
G. Solomon lbw b Shackleton 			56
F. Worrell b Trueman 				 0
D. Murray c Cowdrey b Trueman  			20
W. Hall not out					25
C. Griffith c Cowdrey b Shackleton 		 0
L. Gibbs c Stewart b Shackleton 		 0
Extras (B-10, LB-1)				11
Total 						301

Blowing: F. Trueman 44-16-100-6, 
	 D. Shackleton 50.2-22-93-3, 
	 T. Dexter 20-6-41-0, 
	 B. Close 9-3-21-0, 
	 D. Allen 10-3-35-1.

ENGLAND – 1ST INNINGS

M. Stewart c Kanhai b Griffith 			 2
J. Edrich c Murray b Griffith 			 0
T. Dexter lbw b Sobers 				70
K. Barrington c Sobers b Worrell 		80
C. Cowdrey b Giffs 				 4
B. Close c Murray b Griffith 			 9
J. Parks b Worrell 				35
F. Titmus not out 				52
F. Trueman b Hall 				10
D. Allen lbw b Griffith 			 2
D. Shackleton b Griffith 			 8
Extras (B-8, LB-8, NB-9) 			25
Total 						297

Bowling: W. Hall 18-2-65-1, 
	 C. Griffith 26-6-91-5, 
	 G. Sobers 18-4-45-1, 
	 L. Gibbs 27-9-59-1, 
	 F. Worrell 13-6-12-2.

WEST INDIES – 2ND INNINGS

C. Hunte c Cowdrey b Shackleton 		  7
E. McMorris c Cowdrey b Shackleton 		  8
E. Sobers c Parks b Trueman 			  8
R. Kanhai c Cowdrey b Shackleton 		 21
b. Butcher lbw b Shackleton 			133
J. Solomen c Stewart b Allen 			  5
F. Worrell c Stewart b Trueman 			 33
D. Murray c Parks b Trueman 			  2
W. Hall c Parks b Trueman 			  2
C. Griffith b Shackleton 			  1
L. Gibbs not out 				  1
Extras (B-5, LB-2, NB-1) 			  8
Total 						229

Bowling: F. Trueman 26-9-52-5, 
	 D. Shackleton34-14-72-4, 
	 D. Allen 21-7-50-1, 
	 F. Titmus 17-3-47-0.

ENGLAND – 2ND INNINGS

Stewart c Solomens b Hall 			17
B. Edrich c Murray b Hall 			 8
T. Dexter b Gibbs 				 2
K. Barrington c Murray b Griffith 		60
M.C. Cowdrey not out 			 	19
D.B. Close c Murray b Griffith 			70
J. Parks lbw b Griffith 			17
F. Titmus c McMorris b Hall 			11
F. Trueman c Murray b Hall 			 0
D. Allen not out 				 4
D. Shackleton run out 				 4
Extras (B-5, LB-8, NB-3) 			16
Total (for 9 wkts at close) 			228

Bowling: W. Hall 40-9-93-4, 
	 C. Griffith 30-7-59-3, 
	 G. Sobers 4-1-4-0, 
	 L. Gibbs 17-7-56-1