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An Incarable Optimist
backbone was damaged at three places. That created many unforeseen problems for him in playing cricket. Thereafter his collarbone was broken. Then he was also operated upon for appendicitis.
In 1933 he played a match against Sussex
County. He scored 114 runs Powerful Batsman Allen Melville in this match in just two and
half hours. He hit the Sussex bowlers all around the ground. His 'hook' and 'drive' were a treat to watch. He had adopted a beautiful style to play with a straight bat. In 1934, he became the skipper of the Sussex County team.
In 1935, he played for Sussex. In those days the pair of fast bowlers, namely, Larwood and William Voce, were creating a havoc in the world of cricket. Most leading batsmen used to shiver at their bowling. But Allen Melville really enjoyed batting against fast bowlers. He used to slash them without fear. In a match that he was playing against this pair of fast bowlers, he scored a century just in ninety minutes, although he had a fracture on his thumb. In the cricketing season of 1938-39, as a captain of the South Africa team he played against England in a Test match series. At that time also, he had injuries on his leg and thigh. In one of the Test matches, which subsequently became well known as a 'time-less test
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