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The 93-year-old former West Indies and Guyana batsman
Joe Solomon passed away on Saturday.
Between 1958 and 1965, Solomon participated in 27 Test
matches for the West Indies, accumulating 1326 runs at a 34 average. Even
though he made his first-class cricket debut at the age of 26, he swiftly
established his mettle by amassing three century in his first three innings:
114 against Jamaica, 108 against Barbados, and 121 against the visiting
Pakistanis. After that, he was immediately selected for the West Indies team
that was about to tour India; during the series, he averaged 117 and recorded an
undefeated century in Delhi during his fourth Test match.
However, Solomon’s performance at the 1960 Gabba in
the drawn Test match against Australia is probably what many remember him for
the most. Australia were poised to steal an already thrilling Test match with
three wickets down and six runs needed off the last eight-ball over. But with
just one wicket left, Australia needed just one run off two balls as Richie
Benaud and Wally Grout fell quickly after. The final batter, Lindsay Kline,
attempted to steal a single by nudging the following ball to square leg, but
Ian Meckiff was caught short of his crease by Solomon’s pinpoint aim, resulting
in the first-ever drawn Test match.
Although he made useful runs in the tied Test,
Solomon’s batting on that tour is best remembered for the minor controversy in
the second Test, at the MCG, when he was out hit-wicket as his cap fell on the
stumps.