four wickets for 118 runs – career-best Test figures thus far – and was the last batsman standing as Vanburn Holder and Keith Boyce routed England for 233 and 193. He then made his ODI debut with two games against the touring side in September, taking 2/29 and scoring five not out as England took a one-wicket victory in the West Indies' first ever ODI match. He went wicketless and conceded 5.5 runs per over in the second, which the West Indies won by eight wickets. West Indies, Indian subcontinent and Australia Willis then travelled to the Caribbean as part of England's winter tour, in what Wisden described as an "automatic selection"; however, he was to struggle against the top Test side. In the first Test, on 2 February 1974, he took only one wicket, followed by three in the second, and one for a hundred runs in the final match. He was to struggle against the West Indies throughout his career. His bowling average against them ended at 36.34, whereas against no other team was it above 26.14. Willis then returned to England, to face India and Pakistan, playing in one Test against each. Against India he took 4/64 – a career best against that team – and made a Test best 24 with the bat. Pakistan toured in early August, and Willis featured in one Test. He took one wicket for 133 runs. He also played one ODI where he took one wicket caught and bowled as Pakistan achieved a seven wicket victory. At this point, Willis was suffering from a recurring back injury. He played 13 Championship games for Warwickshire during the 1974 season, taking 44 wickets at 21.56 including one five-wicket haul. In November, Willis touring Australia during the 1974/75 Ashes series, playing in five Test matches. He took 17 Test wickets at 30.70, including a best of 5/42, out of 26 first-class wickets at 31.19 overall. He was, however, playing with growing injury concerns which required several painkilling injections. Injury and operation Willis returned to England in January 1975 with a recurring knee injury which had caused him to collapse at a county game early that season, and underwent several operations to correct it. He had surgery on both knees, and suffered a post-operative blood clot. He was forced to use crutches for most of the season, and reflected in 1978 that it was "similar