00:00In an era when cricket was played with grace, grit, and a gentleman's poise, there emerged
00:06a towering figure, a blond giant who made past men flinch and the rules tremble.
00:12His name was Gordon Rock, and his story is one of the brilliance, controversy, and quite
00:18resilient.
00:19Gordon Rock was born on June 27, 1938.
00:22He stood at an imposing 6 feet 5 inches, Australia's fastest baller at that time.
00:29In January 1959, at just 20 years old, he brushed onto the international scene in the
00:35fourth Ashes Test against England in Adelaide.
00:38It was a debut to remember, with fire in his stride and pace in his vein.
00:44Gordon Rock rattled the English top order, dismissing stalwarts like Colin Cowdery, Tom
00:49Graveney, and Willie Watson.
00:51His figures are devastating 3 for 23 in the first inning.
00:56India had found a new weapon.
00:58A fortnight later, in the fifth test in Melbourne, he proved it was not a fluke.
01:03Three more wickets, more nerves unsettled, and more headlines.
01:07Gordon Rock was not just fast, he was fierce.
01:11But with fame came controversy.
01:13Gordon Rock was not just known for his pace, he was infamous for his drag.
01:19In an age when bowling rules were more relaxed, Gordon Rock took full advantage.
01:24His back foot dragged so far over the crease.
01:27He was nearly 18 yards from the best man when he let the ball go.
01:31A seven-foot stride turned into a weapon.
01:34Even the photos captured his rear foot past the bowling crease before the drag began.
01:40English press-howled legendary Fred Truman was left penalized for inches while Gordon Rock
01:45romped three by feet.
01:47Colin Cowdery, one dismissed by Gordon Rock, quiped, I was frightened he might tread on my
01:53toes.
01:54It was a moment of cricket folklore, a fastballer who had redefined the very geometry of bowling.
02:00Following his ashes exploits, Gordon Rock was settled for the 1959-60 tour of Pakistan and
02:07India.
02:08After the heat of the subcontinent was unkind, he missed the test in Pakistan and fell sorely
02:14ill during the Indian leg.
02:16Forced to retire midway in Kanpur after bowling just two hours, the illness was so sweet that
02:22he lost over two stone in weight and he had to be flown back home to Australia.
02:28Although still young, Gordon Rock's test carrier had run its course.
02:33Though he never wore the baggy green again, Gordon Rock did not abandon the game.
02:39He continued playing great cricket for manly and most men well into his thirties but fate
02:45had won more cruel bouncers.
02:47In 1964, at just 25 years old, Gordon Rock was diagnosed with hepatitis.
02:53His professional career came to a head.
02:56It's blonde giant was forced to step away from the limelight.
03:00Yet off the field, Gordon Rock built a life of quiet dignity.
03:04A devoted family man, he and his wife raised four children and enjoyed the company of eleven
03:10grandchildren.
03:12Even after undergoing three knee replacements later in his life, his spirit remained undimmed.
03:17On July 5, 2025, Gordon Rock passed away peacefully at the age of 87.
03:23He was a man of pace, controversy and power.
03:27His legacy lives not in the number of matches he played, but in the unforgettable impression
03:33he left behind.
03:34Gordon Rock was a meteor in cricket sky, blazing, brief and unforgettable.
03:39Gordon Rock played four test matches for Australia in 1959, scoring just nine runs in four innings,
03:46with a highest score of seven, at an average of 4.50.
03:50While his batting record was modest, his primary impact came with the ball.
03:55In tests, he bowled 703 deliveries, took 10 wickets at an impressive average of 20.30,
04:02with a best bowling figure of 3 for 23 in an innings and 5 for 101 in a match.
04:07He maintained an exceptional economy rate of just 1.73 runs per hour, making him a miserly
04:13baller in his shortest career.
04:16In first-class cricket, Gordon Rock played 36 matches, scoring 248 runs at an average of
04:2210.78, with a top score of 35.
04:26With the ball, he delivered 5742 balls, claimed 88 wickets at an average of 24.60, and he had
04:34the best figure of 6 for 52.
04:37He registered three 5 wicket hauls in first-class matches, and he was a consistent performer,
04:42with a steady economy rate of 2.26 runs per hour.
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