series. Worse for them Dennis Amiss, John Edrich and David Lloyd had broken hands, Keith Fletcher a badly bruised arm, Bob Willis a groin strain and Peter Lever had injured a side muscle. Before they left Brisbane the tour selectors sent back to London for a replacement batsmen and asked for the 41-year-old Colin Cowdrey. Cowdrey was highly regarded by the MCC team and in particular by Mike Denness, who had succeeded him as captain of Kent. In his 20-year Test career he had faced the fast bowling of Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Ian Meckiff, Gordon Rorke, Neil Adcock and even the young Dennis Lillee. Although the Australian press was aghast at such a recall – Cowdrey had not played a Test in four years – the tourists were keen to have a man with the technique and strength of purpose to play the fastest of bowlers. The attendance over the five days was a record 62,000, easily beating the old one of 42,000 as the facilities at the Gabba had been greatly improved over the wooden stands and barbed wire 'concentration camp' of yesteryears. Second Test – Perth Preliminaries My father toured Australia six times (in 1954/5, 1958/9, 1962/3, 1965/6, 1970/1 and 1974/5) with immense success, winning friends everywhere. You have probably seen a photograph of the banner hung at the MCG, that tribute to him from his Australian fans. People still talk of his hundred in Melbourne on his first tour, and his highest first-class score, 307 at Adelaide. Six times he toured, being good enough at 20 and good enough at 40. Chris Cowdrey Colin Cowdrey arrived in Perth with the wives of the MCC team after a 19-hour delay in Bombay, too late to play a practice match and he was called up for the Second Test two days after he arrived and with three hours in the nets. This was his sixth tour of Australia matching the record of the Lancashire spinner Johnny Briggs. Frank Tyson, who had played with Cowdrey in the 1954–55 Ashes series and now commentating for the ABC was jokingly asked by fans if he would be recalled as well. The tour selectors were limited by the hand injuries to John Edrich and Dennis Amiss, but David Lloyd's finger had mended and he was called up to open the innings. Fletcher had a numb forearm after being