Dear Editor,
Reference is made to a letter written by Mr R G Venton which was published in the March 11 edition of Stabroek News under the heading ‘A triple and a double century,’ and I wish to make the general public aware of a few of several inaccuracies contained therein.
(a) On February 16 on the Voice of Guyana’s ‘Today in Cricket History’ programme the following words were uttered: “February 16, 1972 – The beginning of the most successful batting debut of all.
The West Indian Lawrence Rowe, playing in Kingston, the town of his birth, became the only man to make a double-century and a century on Test debut.
At the end of this first day he was not out on 94, which he extended on the second day to a mighty 214. For good measure, Rowe cracked an unbeaten 100 in the second innings…”
(b) Rowe did score a triple century in Test cricket (302 against England at the Kensington Oval, Barbados in 1974, some two years after making his debut).
(c) Rowe’s triple century was not an unbeaten knock; he was caught by Geoff Arnold off the bowling of Tony Greig.
(d) Rowe was never knighted.
I stand ready to provide any further information you may need in relation to the debunking of Mr Venton’s grossly inaccurate letter.
Yours faithfully,
Edwin Seeraj
Presenter, ‘Today in Cricket
History’