NEW DELHI: Former West Indies player Joe Solomon died on Saturday at the age of 93.
“More sad news. Joe Solomon, the former Guyana and West Indies batsman passed away today. He was famous for the run out which led to the famous tied Test in 1960 at the Gabba. We extend sincere condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. May he Rest in Peace,” Windies Cricket wrote on X.
https://x.com/windiescricket/status/1733251651111202950?s=20
In his career, he played 27 Tests for the Caribbean side between 1958 and 1965 and scored 1326 runs with an average of 34. Even though he started his first-class cricket and made his debut at the age of 26 and made his place in the squad quickly.
Soloman’s first three innings for West Indies were centuries: 114 not out against Jamaica, 108 against Barbados, and 121 against the touring Pakistan. Following that, he was included straight into the West Indies squad against India, where in his fourth Test, he scored an unbeaten 100 in Delhi.
He will be most remembered for his role in the tied Test against Australia in 1960 which was held at Gabba. 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.
Soloman made useful runs in that Test against Australia, his batting on that tour will be most remembered for the minor controversy in the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) when he was out hit-wicket as his cap fell on the stumps. (ANI)