Cowdrey Dropped From Fifth Test

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 17

Cowdrey Dropped From Fifth Test

CV.Z.P A. Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON.

C. Cowdrey, who captained England in the fourth cricket test against West Indies, has been dropped for the fifth test which begins at the Oval on Thursday.

England has made six changes from the side which lost the fourth test, in which the West Indies clinched the series.

Last Friday, the selectors named B. Close, of Yorkshire, to captain England in place of Cowdrey. Cowdrey was still available for selection as a batsman, but the selectors preferred to make sweeping changes. The team is:— B. Close (captain), D. Amiss, R. Barber, G. Boycott, B. d’Oliveira. J. Edrich, T. Graveney, K. Higgs, R. Illingworth, J. Murray, J. Price. Amiss, a right-handed Warwickshire batsman, wins his first cap. The players dropped are C. Milburn, J. Parks, F.

: Titmus, D. Underwood. J. i Snow and Cowdrey. i Of the replacements, only i Tilingworth, the off-spinner, has previously played in the current series. Parks, England’s experti enced wicket-keeper-batsman, who played in the four previ- , ous tests, is replaced behind ’ the stumps by J. Murray. Murray, who is also a useful batsman, was second choice keeper to Parks on the last M.C.C. tour of Australia. The lefthander, J. Edrich, . a big success in Australia on . the same tour, will get a great ■ welcome on his home ground. He has been in fine form ■ recently.