Tribute to Ex-Springbok Paul Winslow by Peter Martin

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Player:

PL Winslow

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DateLine: 28th May 2011

 

One of the heroes of South Africa’s outstanding three-wicket win over England at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1955, Paul Lyndhurst Winslow, died in Johannesburg earlier this week. Born May 21, 1929, he had just celebrated his 82nd birthday.

 

Tall and bespectacled, Winslow gained the reputation of a big hitter and throughout his career attacked the bowling, in contrast to most of the batsmen of his era. He played in five Test matches between 1949-50 and 1955.

 

On the 1955 tour South Africa went into the third Test two down after losing at Trent Bridge and Lord’s. For a change the sun shone magnificently for all five days. England scored 284 in their first innings (Denis Compton 158) and after stand-in captain Jackie McGlew was injured, Winslow joined wicketkeeper John Waite at the crease on 245-5. Waite scored 113 and the two added 171 for the sixth wicket, a record at the time against England.

 

With the tea interval coming up, Winslow sent a towering straight six off Tony Lock out of the ground with a carry of well over 50 metres out of the field to bring up his century. He was out for 108, his maiden first-class century and when he was out McGlew returned to make the third century of the innings. England scored 381 in their second knock (Peter May 117) and eventually South Africa were set the task of scoring 145 in 135 minutes.

 

A swift 50 by Roy McLean and a steady 48 from McGlew, long with a short blast by Winslow who hit 16 with two sixes and a four, saw South Africa home with about three minutes to spare.

 

Winslow failed in the fourth Test – also won by South Africa - and thereafter did nothing of note in his career except for scoring 81 and 139 for Rhodesia against the touring Australian team of 1957-58 in Salisbury (now Harare). There was talk of him being recalled for the Test series, but this did not happen. He did, however, play for a South African XI in a match at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, scoring 12 and 22.

 

Winslow was educated at King Edward VII and represented the SA Nuffield XI in 1947 and 1948 before playing for Sussex second XI in 1949. He played in one first-class match for Sussex against Cambridge University two weeks before his 20th birthday. Returning to South Africa, he played for Transvaal in two matches against Lindsay Hassett’s 1949-50 touring Australian team, making his Test debut in the fourth match of the series at Ellis Park, with little success.

 

In 1954-55 he had a successful season for Transvaal, scoring 379 runs (42.11) with a highest of 94 and was recalled for the tour of England. In 22 matches on tour he scored 758 runs at an average of 23.68, 156 of the runs in the three Tests he played (26.00). Against Lancashire he smashed 61 in only 43 minutes, smiting spinner Jack Ikin for 30 (4,4,6,6,4,6) off an over.

 

He retired at the end of the 1959-60 at the age of 30 season to concentrate on his business career, having scored 2,755 runs in 75 matches (ave 23.34) with two centuries and 13 50s.

 

He is survived by his wife, Moira, who he met on the 1955 tour. She was the co-ordinator of Drive Alive after the death of four family members in 1989.

(Article: Copyright © 2011 Peter Martin)