Former West Indies batsman Joe Solomon dies at 93

BARBADOS (Agencies): Joe Solomon, the former West Indies and Guyana batter, died on Saturday at the age of 93. Solomon played 27 Tests for West Indies between 1958 and 1965, scoring 1326 runs at an average of 34. Though he was a late starter in first-class cricket, debuting at 26, he proved his credentials quickly, as his first three innings in first-class cricket were centuries: 114 not out against Jamaica, 108 against Barbados, and 121 against the touring Pakistanis. From there, he was drafted straight into the West Indies squad to tour India; in his fourth Test, he scored an unbeaten 100 in Delhi, and averaged 117 in the series.

Solomon, though, is perhaps most remembered for his role in the tied Test against Australia at the Gabba in 1960. With six runs to win off the final eight-ball over, and with three wickets remaining, Australia looked set to steal an already dramatic Test. But with Richie Benaud and Wally Grout falling in quick succession, Australia were left needing one run off two balls, with just one wicket remaining. Lindsay Kline, the last batter, nudged the next ball to square leg and tried to steal a single, but Solomon’s dead-eye aim caught Ian Meckiff short of his crease, resulting in the first ever tied Test. Although he made useful runs in the that 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.