because they could not cover for Statham and Geoff Pullar when they were absent playing for England. Statham made the Playfair XI for the third and final time. 1960–61 in South Africa and Rhodesia Statham joined the International Cavaliers team to Rhodesia and South Africa from September to October 1960, the beginning of the 1960–61 South African season. It was a strong Anglo-Australian eleven led by Richie Benaud and including Fred Trueman, Ken Barrington, Tom Graveney, Ray Illingworth, Bob Simpson and Norm O'Neill among others. They played in five first-class matches including one against a South African XI and won four with one drawn. Statham took 21 wickets at 11.42 with best figures of five for 29. 1961 to 1963 1961 season Statham played in four of the five tests against Richie Benaud's Australians, who retained the Ashes. He missed the third Test at Headingley in which Trueman blew Australia away with eleven for 88 in the match. That was England's only success, Australia winning at Lord's and Old Trafford. Statham took five for 53 in the first innings at Old Trafford, a match England should certainly have won but for a disastrous batting collapse on the final day after they had allowed a dramatic last wicket stand of 98 between Alan Davidson and Graham McKenzie. Statham took 17 wickets in the series at 29.47. Statham enjoyed a record benefit of £13,047. He took 104 wickets in the season at 20.25 with best figures of six for 27. Lancashire dropped to thirteenth in the championship and Playfair said it was the club's worst-ever season. 1962 season In 1962, Statham bowled as well as ever in the Tests against Pakistan, though he played in only three of the five matches. He took sixteen wickets at 17.37 but the England bowlers had things very much their own way in this series as the Pakistani batsmen performed well below Test standard. Overall, Statham captured 102 first-class wickets at 21.63, a much higher average than normal. He took 86 wickets for Lancashire, but the team again struggled and finished sixteenth, next to bottom of the table. Playfair asked what was wrong with Lancashire and suggested that the club was failing to make good use of the surrounding leagues when seeking new players. In addition, the writer pointed out that Statham, spearhead of the attack, was not getting any younger (he turned 32 in June