Ken McEwan Ken McEwan Kenneth Scott McEwan, born at Bedford, South Africa, on 16 July 1952, was a cricketer who played principally for Eastern Province and Essex. A right-handed middle-order batsman, McEwan's cricket career coincided almost exactly with the period in which South Africa was banished from international cricket because of the apartheid policies of its government. McEwan first played for Eastern Province at the age of 20, and was recommended to Sussex by the future England captain Tony Greig. But Sussex had its quota of overseas players and in 1974 McEwan went on to the staff at Essex, having played just
Ian Botham Geoffrey Boycott. England went into the match with a 1–0 series lead having won the second Test after the first had been drawn. The series was played against the background of the so-called "Packer Affair" which resulted in the establishment of World Series Cricket in the next Australian season. Because of Tony Greig's involvement, he had been stripped of the England captaincy but remained in the team under new captain Mike Brearley. England had three all-rounders at Trent Bridge with Greig, Geoff Miller and Botham all playing. Australian captain Greg Chappell won the toss and decided to bat first. Australia