Rowe 214 and 100 not out - the first time in Test debut

FLASHBACK: Lawrence George Rowe was an elegant right-handed batsman described by Michael Holding, his team-mate, as "the best batsman" he had seen. It was felt that the ability of Rowe was so extraordinary that Sobers believed Rowe was the greatest of all West Indian batsmen.

Rowe made his debut for Jamaica in 1968 and he was there in 1969. He then made history on his Test debut against New Zealand at Kingston in 1972 scoring 214 and 100 not out, the first time that a cricketer had scored a double and a single century on Test debut. It also gave him a batting average of 314 after his first Test match.

Rowe was a heavy scorer at his home ground, Sabina Park. In 1974 versus England he scored 302 there in 10 hours.

On his arrival in Australia for the 1975 - 76 tour, Rowe was being hailed as the best batsman in the world. A century in the second Test innings in Australia maintained his average at over 70 runs per innings and it seemed to confirm his reputation.

Batting hero

Rowe was a West Indies batting "hero" in the days before Viv Richards. He played 30 Tests matches scoring a total of 2,047 runs at an average of 43. He was known to whistle while he batted through he seemed to be injury prone, he suffered problems with his eyesight ad was allergic to grass.

He played 20 Tests between 1972 and 1980 an played 11 One-day Internationals. He is one of only four West Indian batsman to have scored a triple century, the others being Sir Garfield Sobers, Chris Gayle and Brian Lara. Rowe, when past his prime, became infamous in 1982/83, because he led a rebel tour to South Africa during the days of apartheid when they were isolated from world sport.

Settled down in USA

The West Indian public were outraged by the tour and Rowe himself and others were thrown out of Jamaica. This may have been a primary reason for Rowe subsequently settling in Miami, USA. During the lunch break of the first Test between West Indies and India on 20th June 2011, Rowe was honoured when the Sabina Park Stadium was named after him, in a ceremony that also honoured Michael Holding and Courtney Walsh. He took the opportunity to lay those ghosts to rest with an apology on behalf of that ill-fated team, saying:" ...Today I sincerely apologise to the cricketing fraternity of Jamaica, the Caribbean and the rest of the world."

Lawrence Rowe might now have been one of he supreme batsmen, but he did manage one of the great innings. Against England at Bridgetown in 1974 he made 302 out of 596 for 8 wickets, in a little over ten hours of unruffled technical excellence.

Fine Caribbean batsman

Born on January 8th, 1949, Lawrence George Rowe, was a fine Caribbean batsman. His stance was easy, elegant and relaxed. There was not a single stroke he could not execute. He rarely lifted the red cherry off the grass, a sign of a truly great batsman. His brilliant eyesight (before it betrayed him) and lightning footwork- basically he was a back foot player - enabled Rowe to play his shots with all the time in the world. If his drives - both on and off sides of the wicket - were painted with various colours, his square-outs were a picture and exciting.

Difficult to set field

It was difficult to set a field for him when the mood seized him, he would look impregnable when in his element. All this was evident when Rowe set the Blue Mountains on fire while scoring a triple century against England at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. There was 302 runs that flowed from his willow, an innings the Barbaddians will remember forever with a mix of rapture and reverence. Top the leading cricketers said that it was utterly chanceless, utterly makestic, utterly beautiful by the accounts of everyone who watched. It captured the hearts of all the knowledgeable cricket crowds.

England had amassed 395 in its first innings. The hosts began their replay overnight itself. Rowe opened with Roy Fredericks. Although Rowe was unconquered on less than 50, he had clearly announced his intensions with a six right at the start of his innings. It was an effortless hit soaring over the square-leg fence - a strike that reminded many of the late Sir Frank Worrell.

The next morning Rowe continued his onslaught on the England bowlers. His first hundred came in association with Alvin Kallicharan who made a polished 119. Vanburn Holder - the 'night watchman' came in and went in a jiffy. Lloyd, Kanhai and Garfiled Sobers followed suit. But it made no difference to Rowe.

On and on went Rowe and in no time did the innings become a juggernaut and the field a shambles. The innings had a plan and an executive skill which were terrifying. Derryck Murray chipped in with useful contribution and Rowe proceeded to his triple hundred. It was a marvellous innings which any master batsman would have loved to play. Rowe had dream figures in that 1973-74 rubber against England. His scores were: 13, 5, 120, 302, 28, 123, 25. After his epoch-making debut against New Zealand, Rowe had damaged the ligaments of an anke during the home series against Australia. Having already taken 149 off Aussie bowlers, including Dennis Lillee and Max Walker, for Jamaica and 76 for West Indies in the first Test, Rowe had removed in style any doubt some might have entertained about his ability to handle the hostile fast bowling.

The injury he had met with against the Australians, persisted with Rowe throughout the 1973 West Indies tour of England. By then he had began to qualify for Derbyshire. It was reported that Rowe played a handful of innings for the tourists; could never be considered for the Tests, but even on one leg he still managed to look like a player of rare ability.

Rowe played till 1980

Rowe completed his convalescence in the warmth and sunshine of his home town, Kingston. Rowe could never repeat his heady performances after he had been sent home from India. But he continued playing international cricket till 1980 and showed flashes of brilliance time and again, although by then Richards was the ring of the Caribbean.Incidentally it seemed that it was Rowe's eye trouble in India which paved the way for Richards to make his Test debut. It is anybody's guess what Rowe and Richards would have done together if Rowe had not been dealt a crushing blow by fate.

Rowe had problem facing brutal pace 'Down Under' in 1975 - 76, though it was not surprising considering he was wearing lenses. Yet, he did score a jewel of a hundred against Jeff Thomson and Lillee in the first Test at Brisbane.

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