More pain after World Cup defeat

The match at Canterbury came just four days after Australia had been beaten by the West Indies in the inaugural World Cup final and their team included six players who had appeared in that game at Lord’s – skipper Ian Chappell, Rick McCosker, Alan Turner, Doug Walters, Gary Gilmour and Dennis Lillee.

Openers McCosker and Turner were quickly into their stride, adding 121 before McCosker was caught behind off John Shepherd for 58. Turner (156) stayed to anchor the innings and with good contributions from Walters (50), Richie Robinson (36) and Gilmour (30), the Aussies declared on 415-8.

Derek Underwood

finished with 3-67 from 24 overs, while Shepherd took 2-70 from 18.

Kent were reduced to 96 for five in reply but 41 each from Alan Ealham and Bernard Julien, plus 38 from Shepherd helped push the total to 202 (Jim Higgs 4-49, Gilmour 3-40).

An unbeaten 63 from Bruce Laird enabled Australia to declare their second innings on 140-3 (Graham Johnson 2-65), leaving Kent to chase down what seemed an unlikely target of 354.

Details of the story vary but visiting skipper Chappell was apparently so confident of a win that he ordered a coach for 3pm to take the team to Southampton for dinner before their next match, against Hampshire, but he reckoned without the exploits of Cowdrey and Woolmer.

The dismissal of opener Brian Luckhurst (40) with the score at 77 for two brought the pair together, although Woolmer was forced to retire hurt with an arm injury with the total at 116.

Ealham fell without addition to the score but wicketkeeper David Nicholls (39) then joined Cowdrey in a stand of 126.

All-rounder Shepherd (2) went at 246, before Charles Rowe (30) helped Cowdrey push the score to 295, setting the scene