Test Record Disputed

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31763, 21 August 1968, Page 15

Test Record Disputed

<5.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Cops right) NEW DELHI. An Indian cricket statistician has questioned M. C. Cowdrey's cricket landmark of 100 test appearances because the record inelndes three matches played against South African sides after South Africa left the Commonwealth.

The statistician, Mr K. V. Gopala Ratnam. is a member of the “Experts’ Committee” on cricket appointed by the AllIndia Council of Sports. Be wrote to the M.C.C. noting that the English captain’s century of tests included 14 matches against South Africa. Three of these were unofficial tests, played in 1965. four years after South Africa left the Comonwealth and ceased to be a member of the International Cricket Conference.

Mr Ratnam argued that there was a clear distinction between the tests against South Africa before 1961 and the matches played in 1965, and that these unofficial tests could not

be added to official tests to make a record. The M.C.C. assistant secretary, Mr D. B. Carr, wrote to Mr Ratnam describing the South Africa test situation as “slightly obscure.” “Whilst it is appreciated that these matches cannot be regarded as official tests by the International Cricket Conference, I think the principal statisticians, including Wisden, treat the individual records as coming within the umbrella of test matches.” Mr Ratnam has remained dissatisfied. He has written to Wisden saying that the role of statisticians is to record what happens, and not to assume the authority to treat official and unofficial tests alike.