Tony Howard - No Regrets Despite Obstacles (23 April 1999)
Tony Howard had it rough in his only Test match
23-Apr-1999
23 April 1999
Tony Howard - No Regrets Despite Obstacles
The Barbados Nation
Tony Howard had it rough in his only Test match.
Before he bowled a ball, he was warned by an influential figure that
he would have difficulty getting a wicket in the match.
Howard, a well-built off-spinner from Spartan Cricket Club, had
replaced Guyanese legend Lance Gibbs for the fourth Test against New
Zealand at Bourda in April 1972.
The people in Guyana did not like the fact that I replaced Gibbs,
Howard said. The fact that only three wickets fell and I got two of
them I felt I did rather well.
He took two for 140 off 62 overs on a flat, placid pitch which offered
no assistance to the bowlers. The other wicket went to Howards
spinning partner David Holford.
New Zealand, batting second, made 543 for three declared off 268
overs. Glenn Turner made 259 lbw b Howard, and Terry Jarvis hit 182.
Howards other wicket was also a solo effort Martin Burgess bowled for
eight.
Turner and Jarvis added 387 for the first wicket after the West Indies
made 365 for seven declared, of which hometown boy Alvin Kallicharan
made 100 not out. In the second innings the West Indies reached 86
without loss. Overall 994 runs were scored for the lost of just ten
wickets.
I had quite a few appeals and most of them were turned down, said,
Howard, now 52 and the present Barbados team manager. In those days I
used to bowl a pretty fast straight ball and I thought I got Turner at
least four times.
He said he was later presented with a picture which showed Bevan
Congdon with the ball lodged between his ankles facing down the pitch
and that decision was not given either. Congdon made 61 not out.
It was hard, but what happened was all part of cricket, he said. They
(the New Zealanders) had a dour batting line-up and the idea was not
to lose at all. They were not too interested in winning, just not
losing.
Howard, who batted left-handed, never got a chance to have a knock,
but said he had no regrets about that part. He said he settled well in
the team and felt quite comfortable to be playing at the highest
level, in a team that included four other Barbadians.
In those days the West Indies was almost a representative Barbados
team, so I had no problem fitting in, he said. Garry (Sobers) was
captain and I was playing with him since 1966, so it was nothing
really unusual.
Howard had another obstacle before he even reached Guyana. On the day
he found out of his selection, his son was born and he had to persuade
his wife to let him leave to play in the match.
When I returned from the hospital Mr. (Eric) Inniss from the Barbados
Cricket Association informed me that I was selected, said Howard, a
former Harrisonian who was 25 at the time.
My wife said I would have to be mad to play in the match, and she was
right, but I wanted to play. I had worked hard all my life for that
day and the opportunity had come.
Howard said he would have loved to have played more and felt a bit
unfortunate not to have been selected subsequently.
I felt I had bowled well under the conditions, but in those days it
did not seem to matter, he said. Not to be given an opportunity on the
Trinidad pitch, which I knew would turn, or here in Barbados, where I
took five wickets in the tour match, was a little error on (the
selectors) part.
He said he never received his West Indies hat or blazer, but that did
not really matter. I worked all my life to play a Test match and I
did. That mattered most of all, he said.
Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)