11 Facts About Eric Rowan

Eric Alfred Burchell Rowan was a South African cricketer who played for Transvaal, Eastern Province and South Africa.

An opening batsman, Rowan was a dominant personality in South African cricket for more than 20 years on either side of the Second World War.

Eric Rowan sometimes batted without gloves and, allegedly, without a "box" protector, and he was fearless against authority too.

Eric Rowan played for Transvaal from the age of 20, but had to wait five years before making his Test debut on the 1935 tour to England.

Eric Rowan had limited success in the Tests on this tour, with a highest score of just 62, but was the leading scorer in first-class games, with 1,948 runs in total and six centuries.

Eric Rowan played another match-saving innings in the fourth Test of the series.

Eric Rowan topped both the Test and the first-class averages and his feats led to him being named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year the following year.

Eric Rowan responded by having his best season in South African domestic cricket, but he did not play Test cricket again and retired shortly afterwards.

Eric Rowan's younger brother, Athol, was an off-spin bowler who played 15 Tests for South Africa after the Second World War.

In 1939, Eric Rowan set the test record for the highest score in a test innings by any player without any fours or sixes.

Eric Rowan having the record for being the oldest test cricketer to score a double century.