Award to Cowans

Press, 31 December 1982, Page 34

Award to Cowans

NZPA Melbourne .The West Indian-born fast bowler, Norman Cowans, capped his greatest two days of cricket at the Melbourne Cricket ground yesterday when he was given the man of the match award after England's three-run victory over Australia in the fourth test.

Cowans received a cheque for $lOOO and a gold goblet for what turned out to be a match-winning bowling performance in the Australian second innings. He finished with figures of six for 77 and his bowling on Wednesday was the springboard of the English victory which kept it in the Ashes series.

The sponsors of the series, Benson and Hedges, said afterwards that they would have struck special medallions for Allan Border and Jeff Thomson had Australia won the test.

It is 80 years since .such a small margin of runs has been the deciding factor in test wins between England and Australia. In 1902 at Old Trafford. Australia won by three runs and apart from the tied test between Australia and the West Indies in Brisbane in the 1960-61 series, yesterday's three runs is the least number between two test match nations since. There have been six tests over the period of time that international clashes have occurred that the winning margin has been by one wicket. The Melbourne Cricket Ground saw a tight finish in the 1951-52 season. Australia won the fourth test there after the West Indians had set a target of 260. The spinner, Doug Ring, and Bill Johnston came together at 222 for nine and scraped together the 38 runs required.