Joe Solomon

I am filled with sadness. My old and dear friend Joe Solomon, great cricketer, great man indeed, has died. He became a cricket immortal but as well as that he was the best of men. He deserves praise for his achievements on the field but just as much for the good life he lived for family and friends. I am pleased at least that Professor Clem Seecharan’s wonderful book “Joe Solomon And The Spirit of Port Mourant” came out in time to be in his hands before he died.

In memory of Joe, I reproduce a piece I wrote on cricket’s most memorable over in the greatest test match of all test matches – the tied test in Brisbane in 1960 at the climax of which Joe was the hero.

Cricket’s Most Memorable Over

The Tied Test, Brisbane, 14 December, 1960

I recall again listening to Wes Hall’s last over in the Brisbane tie. It is so long ago but I remember the night well, sitting around a bottle of Houston’s Blue Label with four friends and pounding each other on the backs as each ball entered cricket history.

That most famous over began with Australia needing 6 to win, three wickets in hand, 8 balls to go, Hall bowling, Grout facing, Benaud at the other end. First ball of full length and good pace got up and hit Grout in the groin. Normally he would have crumbled, but Benaud was coming for the single so Grout forgot pain and ran: 5 runs to win, 7 balls to go. Hall bowled a bouncer, Benaud flashed, and Alexander screamed his appeal with all the joy in the world: 5 runs to win, 2 wickets left, 6 balls to go; Meckiff blocked it in a tangle of arms and legs: 5 balls left, 5 runs to win. Next ball Hall bowled fast down the leg side. MecKiff didn’t even play a shot but the batsman ran one of the strangest runs seen in Test cricket - a run while the ball went to the wicket-keeper, with Alexander hurling the ball to Hall who turned and hurled it at the bowler’s wicket but missed, and some West Indian hero threw himself full length and saved the overthrows: 4 runs to win, 2 wickets left, 4 balls to go.

The next ball brought madness. Grout mishit and the ball spooned up high, high over mid-wicket. Kanhai positioned himself right under it to make the easy catch. But Hall in a frenzy of resolve charged across, jumped all over Kanhai, and dropped the catch! 1 run scored, so 3 runs were needed, 2 wickets to fall, 3 balls to go. Hall must have heard the good Lord saying, ‘You asked for ordinary miracles, not stupid ones!’ As he walked back in disgrace. Worrell came over and calmed him, encouraged him, and told him not to bowl a no-ball or else he could not return to Barbados. Hall came roaring in again. Meckiff swung and the ball sailed away to square-leg where there was no fieldsman - a sure boundary and the match won, except that Conrad Hunte sprinted to burst his heart and saved the ball on the boundary-edge and turned and threw; and from 90 yards away found Alexander’s gloves and Grout, diving headlong for the crease, was run out going for the winning third run. The score was now tied: 2 balls to go, 1 run to win, 1 wicket to fall. Hall, fingering the gold cross on his chest as he started his run, bowled his heart out to Kline. Kline hit to leg. Twelve yards away, Joe Solomon, cool as ice in that crucible, (he had earlier run out Alan Davidson), from completely side on to the wicket, swooped onehanded and threw as he picked up and broke the one stump visible to him. The greatest cricket match of all time was over. In the whole history of sport it is unlikely that there has been any period of ten minutes so highly charged with drama and emotion as that last over bowled by Wes Hall in the tied Test at Brisbane.

I have said many times that cricket is the greatest game of all games. This is not simply because above all other games it requires a combination of all the skills batting, bowling, catching, throwing, running - and use of the physical talents - quick eye, sharp reflexes, speed of foot, dexterity, strength and stamina. It is also the greatest game of all because, at its best, it contains drama as good as the finest theatre, plots as complex and intriguing as in well-written novels, and beauty of performances at times as piercing as a painting or a poem. In other words, at its best, cricket is an art as well as a game. At its best it is high drama on display, not just simple sport and the players all are heroes, with one or two villains, and not just ordinary sportsmen. It is a thing of passion and for a while a cricket ground becomes an amphitheatre for a performance fit for Gods.

I wrote a poem for Joe inspired by that moment and the man.

The Throw

(For Joe Solomon)

tension in the gut like knife, skipper say stay calm Wes bowl, Kline play, my fellow fielder dash young Peter in a rush to try and run Meckiff out all to play for-good Test becoming great

I know it is historic, they have one run to win and we Windies could still save the joyful day I know I is a quiet man but I was born for this was in me the desire the glory or the loss body mind and soul took aim “leave it to me” I say