Colin Cowdrey
Cowdrey was asked to play for Kent Young Amateurs in 1948 and made 157 against Sussex Young Amateurs, 87 against Middlesex Young Amateurs and 79 against Surrey Young Amateurs. He was asked to join the Kent Second XI in 1949 and played Norfolk, Wiltshire and Devon. In 1949–1950 Cowdrey was made the school cricket captain and in 1950 made 126 not out for Public Schools against the Combined Services at Lords. This was followed by being called up for Kent County Cricket Club while still only 17 and he made 15 and 26 on his first-class debut against Derbyshire.
Colin Cowdrey
Cowdrey replaced Trevor Bailey as Peter May's vice-captain for the tour of Australia. He was not confident that he could lead the veteran England team in May's absence, but this was Bailey's last tour and Cowdrey needed to be tested as a future England captain. The disastrous 1958-59 Ashes series began well enough with Cowdrey scoring of 65 not out, 78 and 100 not out against the state teams, but when deputising as captain Cowdrey was run out by Ian Huntington after he stepped forward after an lbw appeal. Later on the tour he struck 101 runs in 84 minutes with 10 boundaries to win a jovial match against the Prime Minister's XI by four wickets. England lost the first two Tests, but Cowdrey's 100 not out saved the Third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, adding 182 with May (92) and spending 80 minutes in the 90s. Cowdrey's 84 could not save the Fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval, and he was bowled by the 'Blond Giant' Gordon Rorke, whose seven foot stride and his long drag took him three yards down the wicket before he released the ball, and Cowdrey joked "I was frightened that he might tread on my toes". The Fifth Test saw Cowdrey in fine form with seven boundaries in his 44, but he was run out when he trotted in for a single, even though the umpire was unsighted by the wicket-keeper Wally Grout. Cowdrey took strike again unaware of his dismissal until he was asked to depart. England lost the Test as Australia recovered the Ashes 4–0. Cowdrey made only 20 runs (10.00) in the follow up tour of New Zealand, which England won 1–0.