This was the first time I'd seen Lillee and Thomo bowl at the WACA and they were scary. Side-on you couldn't see the ball until it wacked into Marsh's gloves and he was halfway to the fence. As a good Aussie kid, I "hated" the Poms but I came away from the ground with great respect for Colin Cowdrey who got smashed repeatedly but showed great class and guts.
Once saw Thommo at centre wicket practice for QLD in 1975 - he was practising his yorkers against Keith Dudgeon. The first time an observer from side on could see the ball was when he beat the bat and hit the stumps or the keeper's gloves.
Colin Cowdrey balls of titanium, very gutsy. It was terrifying to watch Lillee and Thompson bowl and I wasn't even picked to play. Rest easy Mr Cowdrey Vale.
Initially, I, like many Australians, thought he was 'painful' in how slow etc he was. But by the MCG match I learned that here was a man of indeed great courage and guts, to face Thommo and LET HIM HIT rather than risk a shot he could get out on. If it is somewhere, please show the interview with Tony Greig when he talks about watching Cowdry come off at the end of play [MCG I think] and he took his padding off and he is black and blue with 2 broken ribs and didn't say a thing. And he went out again the next day. See how many of today's players would do that. The only thing that comes close or possibly surpasses this is Rick McCosker's innings. Greg Chappel sent him in with a wired up broken jaw - he scored over a ton, hooking his first ball, a bouncer, for 4.
Er, dunno what version of the Centenary Test Match you watched, but that's not what happened. McCosker volunteered to bat. Chappell actually held him back in the order - he came in at number 10. He actually scored 25, but was involved in an ultimately vital partnership with Rod Marsh, who was the man that scored a century (110). Close, but no cigar! 😉
8:03 Lloyd hit in the balls by Thompson. Cowdrey walks over. Looks at Lloyd curled up on the ground then walks away signalling for water. Cowdrey was hardcore.
Cowdrey to Thommo upon entering to bat: Hello, Jeffrey, my name is Colin Cowdrey (holds right hand out to shake hands with the fastest bowler ever).British diplomacy demonstrated here. Thommo: Shakes hands reluctantly, but thinks to himself "That's not gonna help you 'fatso' (Cowdrey looked obese due to all the rubber padding-refer Tony Greig's interview about Cowdrey's suitcase jam-packed with "protection"). The greatest ironic, sardonic situation.
74/75 was a perfect storm. Lillee and Thomson were bowling like lightning, England were very poor apart from Tony Greig, Alan Knott and Dennis Amiss who all batted bravely and courageously against the fastest bowler of all time in Jeff Thomson. If says a lot for just how piss poor England’s batsmen were that a retired 41 year old was considered a better option than Fletcher, Denness, or Luckhurst.
As much as I hate to say it Amiss from arriving in Australia as one of THE top batsmen in the world had a poor tour of Australia. only passed 37 once at that was 90 in the third test and had he managed JUST THREE more in that innings he would broken the then world records for the most test runs in a calendar year. Ironically in his first autobiography published 18 months after the tour he reckoned the 37 he scored at Sydney was one of the finest innings ever (to that time)
Lillee and Thompson were the difference in this Series. England hammered Australia in the last Test, Thompson was absent injured and Lillee hardly bowled through injury. Take those two out and Australia were ordinary
People like Brian Close and Cowdrey get praised for their bravery ( and I'm not denying their courage at all) but if you're taking blows repeatedly to the body like that you really shouldn't be out there. Their reactions had slowed too much and they were lucky they weren't killed.
I have been watching England play since 1965. England fans would do well to be reminded how generally crap or uncompetitive the England team was for 40 years against the best teams at the time. Which there always seemed to be at least two better than England, at a time when most of the world's cricketing nations were 3rd world countries living on a few $'s a week. While even Australian and New Zealand players were on insultingly low pay, and could almost be considered amateurs. English cricket has come on leaps and bounds since then, especially at the grassroots level and so has World Cricket as a whole. England may lose almost as many games as they win, but the general standard and depth of the England team, and of their opposition are far higher and clear for all to see. The pace of test-match cricket has drastically improved, with far fewer bore-draws as a result. Considering that the English weather is not conducive to the game, the season woefully short and most English kids still don't have a clue what cricket even is never mind the basic laws of the game, England has been doing very well over the last 15 years, against much stiffer, deeper, better coached and far better-rewarded opposition.
Poor old Bumble Lloyd: hardly anyone remembers that he did once score a double-century in a test match (it was against India). The only thing people remember him for is getting hit in the cods by Thommo in this match.
This was the first time I'd seen Lillee and Thomo bowl at the WACA and they were scary. Side-on you couldn't see the ball until it wacked into Marsh's gloves and he was halfway to the fence. As a good Aussie kid, I "hated" the Poms but I came away from the ground with great respect for Colin Cowdrey who got smashed repeatedly but showed great class and guts.
Exactly. You could not see the ball in flight from side-on, they were that quick.
Once saw Thommo at centre wicket practice for QLD in 1975 - he was practising his yorkers against Keith Dudgeon. The first time an observer from side on could see the ball was when he beat the bat and hit the stumps or the keeper's gloves.
David Lloyd and Cowdrey facing Lillee and Thommo without helmets...amazing and unbelievable!
Colin Cowdrey balls of titanium, very gutsy. It was terrifying to watch Lillee and Thompson bowl and I wasn't even picked to play. Rest easy Mr Cowdrey Vale.
Colin COURAGEOUS Cowdrey ❤️
Colin Cowdrey was some years past his best and outclassed against Lillee and Tommo. He answered England's call, but he should never have been asked !
Initially, I, like many Australians, thought he was 'painful' in how slow etc he was. But by the MCG match I learned that here was a man of indeed great courage and guts, to face Thommo and LET HIM HIT rather than risk a shot he could get out on. If it is somewhere, please show the interview with Tony Greig when he talks about watching Cowdry come off at the end of play [MCG I think] and he took his padding off and he is black and blue with 2 broken ribs and didn't say a thing. And he went out again the next day. See how many of today's players would do that. The only thing that comes close or possibly surpasses this is Rick McCosker's innings. Greg Chappel sent him in with a wired up broken jaw - he scored over a ton, hooking his first ball, a bouncer, for 4.
Er, dunno what version of the Centenary Test Match you watched, but that's not what happened. McCosker volunteered to bat. Chappell actually held him back in the order - he came in at number 10. He actually scored 25, but was involved in an ultimately vital partnership with Rod Marsh, who was the man that scored a century (110). Close, but no cigar! 😉
Typical greg chappel...although he probably would hsve done the same
Great comment 👍
@@davewalkeden6932never let the truth get in the way of a good story 😉
63 runs a good return, worth flying him over
8:03 Lloyd hit in the balls by Thompson. Cowdrey walks over. Looks at Lloyd curled up on the ground then walks away signalling for water.
Cowdrey was hardcore.
"...right in the groin..."
@@bhuvidyaIt missed his groin! 😂
Cowdrey to Thommo upon entering to bat: Hello, Jeffrey, my name is Colin Cowdrey (holds right hand out to shake hands with the fastest bowler ever).British diplomacy demonstrated here.
Thommo: Shakes hands reluctantly, but thinks to himself "That's not gonna help you 'fatso' (Cowdrey looked obese due to all the rubber padding-refer Tony Greig's interview about Cowdrey's suitcase jam-packed with "protection"). The greatest ironic, sardonic situation.
Colin Cowdrey The Sire 🎉 ❤
Getting bowled in the bollocks by Jeff Thomson. I hardly think a glass of water is going to help a great deal.
74/75 was a perfect storm. Lillee and Thomson were bowling like lightning, England were very poor apart from Tony Greig, Alan Knott and Dennis Amiss who all batted bravely and courageously against the fastest bowler of all time in Jeff Thomson. If says a lot for just how piss poor England’s batsmen were that a retired 41 year old was considered a better option than Fletcher, Denness, or Luckhurst.
As much as I hate to say it Amiss from arriving in Australia as one of THE top batsmen in the world had a poor tour of Australia. only passed 37 once at that was 90 in the third test and had he managed JUST THREE more in that innings he would broken the then world records for the most test runs in a calendar year. Ironically in his first autobiography published 18 months after the tour he reckoned the 37 he scored at Sydney was one of the finest innings ever (to that time)
Lillee and Thompson were the difference in this Series. England hammered Australia in the last Test, Thompson was absent injured and Lillee hardly bowled through injury. Take those two out and Australia were ordinary
It was this test that Fred Titmus made 61.
He was 61
@@kevinmcgee6307 He may have looked 61 but was in fact 42!!
the first ball he was plumb LBW but it would have taken a brave umpire to give it
Absolutely. But the umpire just couldn't bring himself to give it.
@@nyositoquite right to give “The Master” not out, After travelling all the way from England you can’t the chap out firs5 ball.
Thomo and Lillie were great, but they never had to face themselves.
Cowdrey has balls as big as Australia. Each!
I'd imagine that poor David Lloyd's balls were considerably larger after he retired hurt.😮
They did face Roberts and Holding the very next summer.....
People like Brian Close and Cowdrey get praised for their bravery ( and I'm not denying their courage at all) but if you're taking blows repeatedly to the body like that you really shouldn't be out there. Their reactions had slowed too much and they were lucky they weren't killed.
...well cricket used to be a contact sport
I have been watching England play since 1965. England fans would do well to be reminded how generally crap or uncompetitive the England team was for 40 years against the best teams at the time. Which there always seemed to be at least two better than England, at a time when most of the world's cricketing nations were 3rd world countries living on a few $'s a week. While even Australian and New Zealand players were on insultingly low pay, and could almost be considered amateurs.
English cricket has come on leaps and bounds since then, especially at the grassroots level and so has World Cricket as a whole. England may lose almost as many games as they win, but the general standard and depth of the England team, and of their opposition are far higher and clear for all to see. The pace of test-match cricket has drastically improved, with far fewer bore-draws as a result.
Considering that the English weather is not conducive to the game, the season woefully short and most English kids still don't have a clue what cricket even is never mind the basic laws of the game, England has been doing very well over the last 15 years, against much stiffer, deeper, better coached and far better-rewarded opposition.
Poor old Bumble Lloyd: hardly anyone remembers that he did once score a double-century in a test match (it was against India).
The only thing people remember him for is getting hit in the cods by Thommo in this match.
The first delivery looked out..
Brave + 10 Colin Cowdrey. Weak Plastic -15 Mumbles