Jamaican-born but brought up in England, Norman Cowans was the second
player of African-West Indian origin to play for England and the first
fast bowler, leading to hopes that England had found a bowler in the
mould of the West Indian pace quartet. He made his Middlesex debut in
1980 and his selection for the Ashes tour of 1982-83 was one in a
tradition of little-known fast bowlers taken to Australia in the hope
they would emulate the devastation caused by Frank Tyson in 1954-55.
Cowans impressed enough to be given his debut in the first Test in
Perth, but he did not take a wicket. It was not until the second innings
of the second Test in Brisbane that he did take one, when he had Greg
Chappell caught. He took 6-77 in the second innings at Melbourne in the
nail-biting match which England won by just 3 runs. Against New Zealand
at Headingley the next summer he took 3-88 and took three wickets in
each innings at Trent Bridge. He toured New Zealand with England that
winter, taking 3-52 in Christchurch when England won by an innings. In
Pakistan the same winter he took 5-42 in the second innings of the
Lahore Test, taking all five wickets that fell to a bowler, the other
being a run out. He played one Test at Old Trafford in 1984 but did not
take a wicket. He opened the attack on the unfriendly wickets of India
all through David Gower's tour that winter, taking 14 wickets. He played
one Test against Australia in 1985, but lost his place to Greg Thomas
for the next tour. With his athletic 17 pace run up and his nickname
'The Flash' Cowans looked the part of the fast bowler, but could not
reach the heights despite some match-winning spells. (Bob Harragan)
|

Norman Cowan is seen here playing for Middlesex on 26th. June 1983. Photo George Herringshaw. ©
|
Date |
Test |
Venue |
Opp. |
1st Inns |
2nd Inns |
Batting |
Ct |
Result |
|
12/11/82 |
1 |
Perth |
Aus |
13-2-54-0 |
3-1-15-0 |
4 & 36 |
1 |
Draw |
|
26/11/82 |
2 |
Brisbane |
Aus |
6-0-36-0 |
9-1-31-1 |
10 & 5 |
0 |
Lost |
|
26/12/82 |
4 |
Melbourne |
Aus |
16-0-69-2 |
26-6-77-6 |
3 & 10 |
1 |
Won |
|
02/01/83 |
5 |
Sydney |
Aus |
21-3-67-1 |
13-1-47-1 |
0* & dnb |
1 |
Draw |
|
14/07/83 |
1 |
The Oval |
NZ |
19-3-60-1 |
11-2-41-0 |
3 & dnb |
0 |
Won |
|
28/07/83 |
2 |
Leeds |
NZ |
28-8-88-3 |
5-0-23-0 |
0 & 10 |
0 |
Lost |
|
11/08/83 |
3 |
Lord's |
NZ |
9-1-30-0 |
11-1-36-2 |
1* & 1 |
0 |
Won |
|
25/08/83 |
4 |
Nottingham |
NZ |
21-8-74-3 |
21-2-95-3 |
7 & 0 |
0 |
Won |
|
03/02/84 |
2 |
Christchurch |
NZ |
14-2-52-3 |
dnb |
4 & 7 |
0 |
Lost |
|
10/02/84 |
3 |
Auckland |
NZ |
36-11-98-2 |
2-1-4-0 |
21 & dnb |
1 |
Draw |
|
02/03/84 |
1 |
Karachi |
Pak |
12-3-34-0 |
2.3-1-10-0 |
1* & 0* |
2 |
Lost |
|
19/03/84 |
3 |
Lahore |
Pak |
29-5-89-2 |
14-2-42-5 |
3* & 3 |
0 |
Draw |
|
26/07/84 |
4 |
Manchester |
WI |
19-2-76-0 |
dnb |
0 & 14 |
1 |
Lost |
|
28/11/84 |
1 |
Bombay |
Ind |
28-6-109-2 |
5-2-18-1 |
0 & 0 |
0 |
Lost |
|
12/12/84 |
2 |
Delhi |
Ind |
20-5-70-0 |
13-2-43-2 |
0* & dnb |
0 |
Won |
|
31/12/84 |
3 |
Calcutta |
Ind |
41-12-103-3 |
4-1-6-0 |
1 & dnb |
0 |
Draw |
|
13/01/85 |
4 |
Madras |
Ind |
12.5-3-39-2 |
15-1-73-2 |
dnb & dnb |
2 |
Won |
|
31/01/85 |
5 |
Kanpur |
Ind |
36-9-115-2 |
7-0-51-0 |
9 & dnb |
0 |
Draw |
|
13/06/85 |
1 |
Leeds |
Aus |
20-4-78-1 |
13-2-50-1 |
22* & dnb |
0 |
Won |
Summary of all matches
M |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
100s |
50s |
W |
BB |
Ave |
5w |
Ct |
19 |
175 |
36 |
7.95 |
0 |
0 |
51 |
6-77 |
39.27 |
2 |
9 |