Greatest Cricket Moments

Tom Graveney Recalled to England at 39 — 96 Against West Indies, Lord's, 1966

1966-06-16England vs West Indies2nd Test, West Indies tour of England 1966, Lord's, 16–21 Jun 19661 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

Tom Graveney, recalled to the England side at 39 after a four-year absence — he had been dropped in 1962 for a county match in which his county had put him in without permission — scored 96 in England's only victory of the 1966 series at Lord's. His fluent strokeplay was in stark contrast to the struggle of younger colleagues, and his recall confirmed that county cricket's older generation still had things to teach the Test side.

What Happened

Graveney had been one of England's most gifted batsmen through the 1950s, a right-hander of classical technique and full range of strokes who was sometimes accused of not fighting hard enough in a crisis. He was dropped in 1962 following a county match appearance without selectors' permission and did not play Test cricket until 1966. His recall at 39, for the second West Indies Test at Lord's, was controversial — critics felt the selectors were going backward. Graveney replied with 96 in England's first innings, a fluent innings of exactly the kind England needed against Hall and Griffith: confident off-side driving, a willingness to go forward, and a calm that younger batsmen had not found. England won the Lord's Test by an innings — their only victory in the series — with Sobers below par and Higgs taking wickets. Graveney continued in Test cricket until 1969, scoring 4,882 runs at 44.38 in 79 matches and finishing with eleven Test hundreds.

Key Moments

1

1962: Graveney dropped from England side

2

1962-66: Scores heavily for Worcestershire in county cricket

3

Jun 1966: Recalled for the second West Indies Test at Lord's

4

96 in first innings — England win by an innings

5

1969: Final Test; retires with 11 hundreds in 79 matches

⚖️ The Verdict

A comeback that silenced every critic with immediate, elegant evidence — 96 against the most feared pace attack in the world, at 39, in the only match England won in the series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why had Graveney been dropped in 1962?▾
He appeared in a county match for Worcestershire on a day England's selectors had specifically requested he rest, having recently played in a Test. They felt this showed insufficient commitment to England duty and dropped him.

Tags

#tom-graveney#england#west-indies#1966#iconic-moment#lord-s#comeback#worcestershire

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