Trueman's bowling partner...

Michael Cowan.

There are rumours that in the days gone by, men with pregnant wives would request their newborn baby be born in Yorkshire. This was because if it was male, he would be eligible to represent the county’s cricket team.

At least former Yorkshire player Mike Cowan’s parents didn’t have to go to such lengths. He was born in Leeds in 1933 but moved to Doncaster at an early age. His left arm fast bowling was spotted in the local leagues and he was invited to trial by Yorkshire.

Cowan recalls, “I played my first game at Lords on the same day as the famous Stanley Matthews cup final. There were people with radios pressed to their ears, listening to events from Wembley. Yorkshire won and whilst I made some of the headlines, I was soon brought back to earth. My first home game was against the Australians – 0-104 and 2 ducks. I learned the cruel game of cricket within a week.

Keith Miller who had scored 170 not out was coming off at Headingley when he tapped my backside with his bat and explained I had bowled quite well despite the figures. He was a hero of mine. He flew mosquito planes then came back, played cricket and would take a barmaid home. What a bloody cricketer.

Once, [Ian] Wooldridge asked him about the pressure of the modern game. Miller, startled, said “pressure, what pressure? I’ll tell you about pressure. Pressure is coming back off a bombing raid with no ammunition left and you have two Messerschmitt planes up your arse, that’s pressure!””

Cowan admits he was lucky to open the bowling attack with another South Yorkshireman, the legendary fast bowler Fred Trueman. Known for his blunt tone and witty quotes, Trueman was also held in high regard. “Fred Trueman is the greatest ever fast bowler this country has produced. He had a magnificent action, and was able to swing the ball late. He had plenty of bottle and wasn’t afraid to take anyone on. He could be making a fortune if he was playing today, but he was before his time.”

Trueman was indeed a humorous character which made him popular, but not always with umpires. “I used to love fielding at mid off and I’ll always remember when he had this one lad plum in front. The umpire gave not out. Fred walks back and says “Mike, this umpire’s bloody blind.” The umpire responded and said, “what did you say Trueman?” Fred then comes out with, “turns out he’s chuffing deaf ‘n all.”

Cowan’s finest moment came when playing at Headingley against the all conquering Surrey side in 1954. “I was on national service at the time with the RAF and was put on 5 days detention doing menial tasks for a misdemeanour. Anyway, my punishment was reduced to three days on the condition I played for Yorkshire. There was a huge crowd, stood right up to the boundary. Surrey entered their second innings 100 runs ahead. But Fred and I ripped through them at tea time and I took 5-15. We wrapped it up the next day, and after a mass pitch invasion, I was called up to represent the MCC on their 1955 tour of Pakistan.”

Unfortunately, instead of being the beginning of a fantastic career, this was the beginning of the end for Cowan who suffered a serious back injury on the tour. “I was never the same again. I regained my place in the Yorkshire side, but before the injury I felt I was on for an England cap and would have liked to play a couple of tests. I was the only one from the tour never to play for England.”

It’s unfortunate that someone with so much potential fell short, but Cowan likes to focus on what he achieved and still has a passion for the game, starting with the forthcoming Ashes series. “I’m not sure the Australians are good enough to win it. The temperament of [Stuart] Broad is all important. If the Aussies get under his skin it could be interesting to see how he reacts.

I’m not a fan of Alistair Cook; I wouldn’t mind a bowl at him. As for [Kevin] Pietersen, we know he can do it but I worry about him. When we won the Ashes that time and he had his hair like a badger, what’s that about? If he plays well in Australia, then all will be forgiven.”

Cowan admits hairstyles aren’t the only thing that has changed in the game since his departure and cites the intense fielding as the area that has evolved the most. However, he does have one gripe over certain new methods, “what is the need for other sports in warm ups such as boxing or football? Why boxing? Why don’t they take them skydiving? If it wasn’t for Australia’s Glenn McGrath getting injured playing football prior to the Edgbaston test in 2005, England wouldn’t have won the Ashes.

Another thing too, I don’t understand why it’s regarded as a war nowadays. It’s a game of cricket. We had banter, but it wasn’t nasty like today. When Botham faced the Aussies in 81, Rodney Marsh asked “how’s your wife and my kids?” to which Botham replied “wife’s fine but the kids are retarded!””

The formats of cricket have changed somewhat over the years with the introduction of Twenty20. “I like it because it gets the youngsters involved. The good players adapt to the format. Players can go to India and earn megabucks. Perhaps they’ve overdone it a bit here and that’s why the crowds are down. They’re on about reducing the numbers of games due to burnout. I’ve seen Trueman bowl 1400 overs in a season!”

It does appear that Cowan has someone of a similar ilk to himself in the modern day game, Ryan Sidebottom. “He’s a left arm quickie that’s been lucky enough to play for England.” He adds with a glint in his eye, “I bet I was quicker though.”

That light hearted nature Cowan possesses has helped him deal with the misfortune of not being able to play for England, “it was difficult to go and earn a living when I retired after being looked after as a professional for so long, but I hold two records. The first Doncaster lad to wear the white rose, and one of only two Yorkshire players (the other being Bill Bowes) who’ve taken more wickets than scored runs!”