Lennie Pascoe goes the “extra yard”

Lyall Gardner | January 27, 2023

It was a matter of going the extra yard for Bankstown fast bowler, Len Pascoe, in the last round clash in 1979-80 against Randwick at Coogee Oval. Randwick batted first and despite an early onslaught from the new ball dynamo, managed to get to 144. Pascoe finished with 4-41 off 18 overs after having 4-25 off 11. At stumps on the first day, Bankstown was 2-22.

During the course of the wicket preparation on the second Saturday, Cyril Towers, the former Wallaby legend and father of Randwick pace bowler, Timothy, was strolling across Coogee Oval and walked along the wicket. He then approached Peter Boyd, the groundsman who was busily marking out the creases and queried the length of the wicket, as he had just stepped out 23 paces. Peter Boyd quickly responded saying that the length was “the same as last week”. To allay Mr Tower’s concerns, Boyd then measured the wicket coming up with the horrifying discovery that it was indeed 23 yards—one yard too long!! The error was quickly rectified, enabling the Randwick fast bowler Mike Whitney, bowling off the correct length, to run through the Bankstown line-up having them out for a record-low score of 51 and taking 5-20 in the process!

Footnote 1: It wasn’t until the course of a convivial drink a couple of years later, that Randwick Hon Secretary Lyall Gardner, gave Len the news about the 23 yard wicket at Coogee. While shocked at the disclosure, Len took it in good spirit and humour although the issue was the subject of much friendly banter between the two in the years which followed.

Footnote 2: The embarrassment of the long pitch looked likely to be uncovered a few weeks after the incident when a Metropolitan newspaper called Gardner and asked if it was true that the wicket used during the 3rd Grade Grand Final was incorrectly marked at 23 yards. The Hon Secretary was (fortunately) able to deny categorically that an incorrect length wicket was used in that particular match.