Rick McCosker Archives

Murderous bowling of Jeff Thompson against Sri Lanka in the First World Cup series match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Oval in June 1975 ” 6.48 minutes into the video you see me getting hit. I took 6 blows from him on my body. Still he didn’t get me out. Retired hurt at 53. Next to me is Duleep getting hit on the head” – “Sunil Wettimuny” …………… How Sri Lanka showed grit and displayed a ‘never say die’ attitude against the murderous bowling of Jeff Thompson and Dennis Lillie in the First ICC World Cup series match between Australia and Sri Lanka played at the Oval in June 1975. The defiant and gallant batting of Sunil Wettimuny who scored a heroic 53 (retired hurt), Duleep Mendis, Ranjit Fernando, Bandula Warnapura, Anura Tennekoon, and Michael Tissera earned for them and Sri Lanka a place at the High ...

Testing times In the last 60 years, spectators have witnessed near fatalities on the cricket field Kersi Meher-Homji During the tour of the West Indies in 1962, India’s 28-year-old cricket captain Nari Contractor received a near fatal injury from an extra quick short delivery from Charlie “Chucker” Griffith in the match against Barbados. Many of the players donated blood to save his life. Two operations were performed in the West Indies and one later in India when a steel plate was inserted inside the injured skull. A year later he played first-class matches but his Test career was cruelly aborted. Near death in 1962, Contractor is still with us 59 years later, aged 87. March 17, 1962 was one of the most shocking days in the history of cricket, the day Contractor nearly died on the pitch at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown. The cricket world held its breath in suspense as ...