Jack Cowie - Back in New Zealand

Back in New Zealand

The New Zealand team played two matches in Australia on the way home after the 1937 tour of England, but thereafter Cowie's cricket was confined to New Zealand for the next 12 years through a combination of the Second World War and an extremely limited Test schedule. He continued to be a regular wicket-taker in the three domestic seasons before first-class cricket was suspended in New Zealand in 1940, but New Zealand played no Test matches in this period.

When regular first-class cricket resumed in New Zealand in 1945-46, the Australians sent a fairly strong team (though lacking Don Bradman) to play five first-class matches, and the match against New Zealand was recognised as a Test match. It was a low-scoring game, won easily by Australia inside two days. The New Zealanders made only 42 in their first innings and 54 in the second; in between, Australia made 199 for eight wickets before declaring, and Cowie took six of the eight wickets that fell at a personal cost of 40 runs. These were the best Test bowling figures of his career.

The following season, 1946–47, there was a further single Test match in New Zealand: the visitors on this occasion were the England team which had toured Australia, losing The Ashes series. In a rain-shortened match, New Zealand held their own and Cowie was prominent with both ball and, unusually, bat. In New Zealand's only innings, he made 45, his highest Test score, adding 64 for the ninth wicket with Tom Burtt. Then, starting with Cyril Washbrook in the first over, he took six of the seven England wickets to fall at a cost of 83 runs.

Limited domestic matches in the 1947-48 and 1948-49 seasons produced further wickets for Cowie though at a higher cost than usual. But he was an automatic selection for his second tour of England, with the 1949 team led by Walter Hadlee.