I was about then and Colin Cowdrey facing up to Thompson and Lilley was one of the greatest acts of bravery I've every seen. He took them everywhere and never flinched. It was astonishing. He earned the respect of the entire Australian population at the time, it really was extraordinary.
A lot is often said about what a gentleman Cowdrey was but it's totally deserved. In the '70's I worked at Lords on the groundstaff for a couple of years and at the time Cowdrey was a big cheese in the MCC hierarchy yet whenever he passed or met one of us oiks he'd always give us a cheery greeting or a wave from his car. I can assure you it wasn't common among the gin slinging administrators in those days. Top man he was.
I'm 100% Australian, but to me the Cowdrey effort rates as one of the greatest feats of all time. He's 42, having a nice "coopatea" in an English winter, gets called out to our scorching summer to face Lillee and Thomson bowling thunderbolts on the notoriously fast WACA! No modern padding or helmets! Sporting courage to the maximum.
I was 13 at the time when my brother and I politely asked Trueman for an autogramm when he came down to play against Kent. He actually said "f.... off" to us. Colin Cowdrey was on the other hand, a real gentleman. He smiled and said to us when asked him... "of course boys". What a difference.
I stood on the steps of the old Brewongle Stand at the SCG and watched Tommo and Lillee bowling at England Square on. Marsh and the slip cordon were almost twice as far back for Thomson than for LIllee. My God he was fast.
In 1975, following the World Cup Final in England, the Aussies had to travel down to Canterbury to play Kent. After posting a big score batting first, the Australians bowled Kent out cheaply then added another 150 to set Kent an impossible looking target of around 350 on the last day. Apparently, Ian Chappell was so confident of the win that he booked a coach for 4.00pm to take his team down to Southampton in time for dinner as they were playing Hampshire next. Kent knocked off the runs, and Cowdrey scored 150 odd not out. The man was a class act until the day he hit his last ball.
Richie Benaud tells it a bit differently. Story goes that Cowdrey was at the non-strikers end and his first viewing of Thommo in the flesh was Thommo bouncing the other batsman and the ball went over the keeper's head and onto the sightscreen on the first bounce. Thommo turns round and glares at Cowdrey to which he responds by sticking out his hand and says, 'Good morning, sir. My name's Cowdrey.'
Indeed, and I believe Richie's version because Thommo has a history of twisting stories to try and make himself look better. Cowdrey's 'introduction' was his way of telling Thommo that he wasn't the slightest bit scared - that was the truth of it.
He's a great character, Thommo, as well as probably bowling as quick as anyone's ever done. He gave a lunchtime talk during the Eng v Sri Lanka Cardiff Test this year, and he rates Cowdrey as a great player. Within six months of the disastrous 74-75 tour, Cowdrey played against the touring Aussies for Kent, and scored 151. Thommo wasn't playing in that game, but guys like Lillee and Gilmour were, so they were no pushover. Thommo saw it from the balcony and said the innings was pure class.
used to watch on black and white tv in the 60s as a young boy Cowdrey was at first slip cannot remember the game but he took a catch from and edge right down on his ankles and he quickly put the ball in his trouser pocket...the batsman was looking behind and then Cowdrey produced the ball...it was brilliant.
Cowdrey didnt get many runs in that series but he was a difficult fella to dismiss, Thomson got him in both innings that match but he batted more than 2 hours both times. He could stand up to the fastest bowling and get hit many times and never flinch or show pain.
Was there at the WACA for the first day of play. When Cowdrey walked out, there was a noticeable buzz around the ground. Everyone knew the circumstances surrounding his selection and were half-expecting him to be slaughtered. The Australian pace attack gave him no respite, almost as if they considered Cowdrey as an unwelcomed intruder (because of his age). Cowdrey didn't have any flashness to his batting as far as I recall, but everyone admired his guts.
Colin Cowdrey coming out of retirement to face the 74/75 Aussies is, along with Rick McCosker batting in the second innings of the 77 centenary test with a broken jaw, the gutsiest stuff I have ever seen in test cricket. Thommo was plain bloody scary. I was too young to realise it at the time but it was life-threatening stuff.
what a golden era of cricket...the 70s, the centenary test, world series, and beyond...the windies...every team had world class fast bowlers...the only thing that suffered was spin bowling...though there were great ones like bedi, chandrasekhar and underwood...i too was lucky to be a kid then and catch most of it...thommo and lillee were forces of nature. no helmets, kiddies...no...helmets!
Gaurav Gupta I'm 100% Australian, but to me the Cowdrey effort rates as one of the greatest feats of all time. He's 42, having a nice "coopatea" in an English winter, gets called out to our scorching summer to face Lillee and Thomson bowling thunderbolts on the notoriously fast WACA! No modern padding or helmets! Sporting courage to the maximum.
It would have be interesting to see thommo in the kerry packer series, he certainly was on fire in the ashes 1974 75 series, not quite has good over here.
I was about then and Colin Cowdrey facing up to Thompson and Lilley was one of the greatest acts of bravery I've every seen. He took them everywhere and never flinched. It was astonishing. He earned the respect of the entire Australian population at the time, it really was extraordinary.
The Australians respected Colon Cowdrey and his courage. Great great cricketer.
A lot is often said about what a gentleman Cowdrey was but it's totally deserved. In the '70's I worked at Lords on the groundstaff for a couple of years and at the time Cowdrey was a big cheese in the MCC hierarchy yet whenever he passed or met one of us oiks he'd always give us a cheery greeting or a wave from his car. I can assure you it wasn't common among the gin slinging administrators in those days. Top man he was.
I'm 100% Australian, but to me the Cowdrey effort rates as one of the greatest feats of all time. He's 42, having a nice "coopatea" in an English winter, gets called out to our scorching summer to face Lillee and Thomson bowling thunderbolts on the notoriously fast WACA! No modern padding or helmets! Sporting courage to the maximum.
"Good afternoon Mr.Thomson, the name's Cowdrey!"The sheer bravado and arrogance of MCC makes him one of all time heroes.
@@jamestulk5111 No...not bravado or arrogance. Simply politeness.
And Thompson rated him as a good batsman
MCC could still handle a bat. His Driving and Hooking was still good. The Aussies also had the late Max Walker who was fairly Quick as well.🇦🇺🇬🇧
He had lots pf padding, listen to Tony Greig's story about him opening Cowdrey's coffin.
I was 13 at the time when my brother and I politely asked Trueman for an autogramm when he came down to play against Kent. He actually said "f.... off" to us. Colin Cowdrey was on the other hand, a real gentleman. He smiled and said to us when asked him... "of course boys". What a difference.
I stood on the steps of the old Brewongle Stand at the SCG and watched Tommo and Lillee bowling at England Square on. Marsh and the slip cordon were almost twice as far back for Thomson than for LIllee. My God he was fast.
In 1975, following the World Cup Final in England, the Aussies had to travel down to Canterbury to play Kent. After posting a big score batting first, the Australians bowled Kent out cheaply then added another 150 to set Kent an impossible looking target of around 350 on the last day. Apparently, Ian Chappell was so confident of the win that he booked a coach for 4.00pm to take his team down to Southampton in time for dinner as they were playing Hampshire next. Kent knocked off the runs, and Cowdrey scored 150 odd not out. The man was a class act until the day he hit his last ball.
Thompson did however respect Cowdrey as once having been a great batsman. 'spirit of cricket, I don't know why I'm here ' funny and very honest.
Richie Benaud tells it a bit differently. Story goes that Cowdrey was at the non-strikers end and his first viewing of Thommo in the flesh was Thommo bouncing the other batsman and the ball went over the keeper's head and onto the sightscreen on the first bounce. Thommo turns round and glares at Cowdrey to which he responds by sticking out his hand and says, 'Good morning, sir. My name's Cowdrey.'
Indeed, and I believe Richie's version because Thommo has a history of twisting stories to try and make himself look better. Cowdrey's 'introduction' was his way of telling Thommo that he wasn't the slightest bit scared - that was the truth of it.
Colin Cowdrey - a true gentleman!!
Thomson a pure prat.
He's a great character, Thommo, as well as probably bowling as quick as anyone's ever done. He gave a lunchtime talk during the Eng v Sri Lanka Cardiff Test this year, and he rates Cowdrey as a great player. Within six months of the disastrous 74-75 tour, Cowdrey played against the touring Aussies for Kent, and scored 151. Thommo wasn't playing in that game, but guys like Lillee and Gilmour were, so they were no pushover. Thommo saw it from the balcony and said the innings was pure class.
1 of my favourite Australian cricketer..
used to watch on black and white tv in the 60s as a young boy Cowdrey was at first slip cannot remember the game but he took a catch from and edge right down on his ankles and he quickly put the ball in his trouser pocket...the batsman was looking behind and then Cowdrey produced the ball...it was brilliant.
Cowdrey didnt get many runs in that series but he was a difficult fella to dismiss, Thomson got him in both innings that match but he batted more than 2 hours both times. He could stand up to the fastest bowling and get hit many times and never flinch or show pain.
Was there at the WACA for the first day of play. When Cowdrey walked out, there was a noticeable buzz around the ground. Everyone knew the circumstances surrounding his selection and were half-expecting him to be slaughtered. The Australian pace attack gave him no respite, almost as if they considered Cowdrey as an unwelcomed intruder (because of his age). Cowdrey didn't have any flashness to his batting as far as I recall, but everyone admired his guts.
Colin Cowdrey coming out of retirement to face the 74/75 Aussies is, along with Rick McCosker batting in the second innings of the 77 centenary test with a broken jaw, the gutsiest stuff I have ever seen in test cricket. Thommo was plain bloody scary. I was too young to realise it at the time but it was life-threatening stuff.
Amiss (not me BTW) coming back to test cricket at the oval scoring 203 in 1976 when Holding blew England away was an innings of pure guts
what a golden era of cricket...the 70s, the centenary test, world series, and beyond...the windies...every team had world class fast bowlers...the only thing that suffered was spin bowling...though there were great ones like bedi, chandrasekhar and underwood...i too was lucky to be a kid then and catch most of it...thommo and lillee were forces of nature. no helmets, kiddies...no...helmets!
abdul quadir....
Oooo I love fast bowlers man.... Lol
Gaurav Gupta
I'm 100% Australian, but to me the Cowdrey effort rates as one of the greatest feats of all time. He's 42, having a nice "coopatea" in an English winter, gets called out to our scorching summer to face Lillee and Thomson bowling thunderbolts on the notoriously fast WACA! No modern padding or helmets! Sporting courage to the maximum.
Very funny, but he recognised that Cowdrey had been a great batsman past his best in 1975.
Yet made a century against the Aussies in a touring match in 1975 summer.
Thomo's my absaloute hero!!! i love em to bits!!! XD
It would have be interesting to see thommo in the kerry packer series, he certainly was on fire in the ashes 1974 75 series, not quite has good over here.
Cool dude ...my hero too...
Pretty much the same !!
Malcolm Marshall was a very nasty bowler in the 80s
You don’t say
Did he not have a brother who played as well
You're thinking of Alan Froggy Thomson, no, they weren't related.
Thommo was a very nasty bowler in the 1970s
No style with the Aussies, is there?
llynfach none whatsoever, but sometimes their irreverence is bloody funny
None at all. And no humour just insults.
@@stephenreeds3672 Well if it goes over your head you're just another dumb f*ck !!!
@@stephenreeds3672 learned from Ian Botham