By Dr. Dhanpaul Narine (SEE VIDEO: The first Tied Test Australia vs West Indies 1960 Below)
Tied Test Match 1960 – Final Play – Australia vs West Indies
It is Brisbane in 1960 and West Indies are playing Australia in the first Test. Don Bradman meets Australian skipper Richie Benaud.
Cricket needs excitement. Benaud promises an Australian victory. The Test enters the last day; Australia needs 233 runs to win. The excitement is fever pitch.
Joe Solomon is fielding at mid-wicket. He runs out Alan Davidson and Australia has three wickets and six minutes to get the runs. Wesley Hall bowls the final over. Each delivery creates drama. Conrad Hunte runs out Wally Grout. Hall bumps into Kanhai and a catch is spilled.
The scores are level with one ball remaining and one wicket to fall. Hall runs in at full throttle. Meckiff touches the ball and runs; the delirious crowd hopes for an Australian victory. But there is Solomon again. He swoops on the ball. What is he thinking?
READ MORE: Profile – Joe Solomon
Comments
Comment from Ramesh:
Thank you Sir for this nostalgic piece of cricket history. That tied test was an especially important time in West Indian cricket, their emergence into world prominence.
Joe is looking great at 90. It was nice to hear Wes Hall talk about the great Sir Frank Worrell, a real leader, whose life was unfortunately cut short by natural causes.
Thanks again.
Ramesh.
Joe is my second cousin.
Veda