Peter Pollock

[Dogwatcher]

I had the pleasure of meeting former South African cricketer Peter Pollock this morning.

What a wonderful man. Completely lacking in ego and totally at peace with himself and his career which was ended so early by the evil of apartheid.

He's in Australia doing "preaching the gospel" as he's now an evangelist, and even if you're not religious, he's still a very interesting talker.

[smac]

You're a lucky man in your line of work DW...

I once met Graeme Pollock (Peter's brother, I think?) in Thailand at the island bar in the middle of a swimming pool that was about the size of a lagoon.

Talked for hours, he had some fascinating stories to tell.

We both almost drowned when we went to leave.

[Dogwatcher]

Ha ha ha. I guess I am in some ways lucky. But I'd still meet these people if I wasn't doing this job. These people are here for public appearances, so I'd definately go out of my way to meet them.

Graeme sounds like a different cat to his brother, just from what you said there!

I don't think Peter would drink at all. And as for sitting in a lagoon bar in Thailand, I don't think it'd ever happen.

[smac]

It wasn't a loud, drunken day - we just drank while chatting. And chatted for about 6 hours. Then realised we were pissed when we went to move.

Tremendous person, and he holds very similar views to Peter based on what you say.

Was a great memory for me at least!

Not sure he's online somewhere saying "I met smac in Thailand!"

[Dogwatcher]

Very true.

There were some great cricketers in those times.

I reckon we would have seen a different cricketing landscape if they hadn't have got the boot.

[ORDoubleBlues]

OTTOMH (cue spell check) I think he's also in Wisden for one of those records that's never likely to be broken at first class level, something like 5 wickets taken in a six ball over.

I know Malinga went pretty close though.

[Aerie]

Peter is the father of Shaun isn't he? That South African team before apartheid would have rated up there with the Windies of the 80's, the Australian team of the last decade etc.

[Dogwatcher]

Aerie he is Shaun's father.

He said today Shaun will stick it out for a bit longer, but isn't delighted with the current situation of only being in the one side.

[dinglinga]

for my 999 post ... on monday nite at a lauch i met kerry "scull" o' keefe

funny bloke but to talk cricket after was great

he shared my displeasure of 20/20 cricket but was amazed what he said about shane watson ...

the australian cricket team RATE him highly hence why they want to fast track him

[spell_check]

OTTOMH (cue spell check) I think he's also in Wisden for one of those records that's never likely to be broken at first class level, something like 5 wickets taken in a six ball over.

I know Malinga went pretty close though.

Not by Pollock, but by similarly named English Test player Pat Pocock in this match:

http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970 ... G1972.html

In actual fact, the last wicket of that over was a run out, however, Pocock did take himself the following:

4 wickets in 4 balls
5 wickets in 6 balls

The last two are still outright records in first class cricket:
6 wickets in 9 balls
7 wickets in 11 balls

[mal]

Peter Pollock was a fast meduim pace bowler in the 60s -70s
Perhaps Aussies biggest memory of Peter was in a World X1 v Australia game in the early 70s [MCG?]
He was in a very big batting partnership in a tailend partnership with my idol Sir Gary Sobers
They made 100+ runs and the great Sobers massacred the Aussies and made 200+
There was a young long haired fast bowler bowling for the Aussies that day who was clobbered by Sobers
That bowler was another idol of mine Dennis Keith Lillie

[ORDoubleBlues]

OTTOMH (cue spell check) I think he's also in Wisden for one of those records that's never likely to be broken at first class level, something like 5 wickets taken in a six ball over.

I know Malinga went pretty close though.

Not by Pollock, but by similarly named English Test player Pat Pocock in this match:

http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970 ... G1972.html

In actual fact, the last wicket of that over was a run out, however, Pocock did take himself the following:

4 wickets in 4 balls
5 wickets in 6 balls

The last two are still outright records in first class cricket:
6 wickets in 9 balls
7 wickets in 11 balls

D'oh

[youngster]

for my 999 post ... on monday nite at a lauch i met kerry "scull" o' keefe

funny bloke but to talk cricket after was great

he shared my displeasure of 20/20 cricket but was amazed what he said about shane watson ...

the australian cricket team RATE him highly hence why they want to fast track him

I had the pleasure of driving the Skull down to Mt Compass and back to Adelaide for a function a couple of years ago. Great bloke, it was great fun having a private audience with him and talking sport (and mostly cricket) with him for 2.5 hours.

[Dogwatcher]

Could imagine.

I could also imagine you didn't get much of a word in between his comments and laughing fits!

Could also imagine it would've been hard not to drive off the road!