Ed Cowan

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Gideon Haigh in today's Australian:

Australia's latest Test cricketer, Tasmania's Ed Cowan, is a friend of mine. A good friend, too: I've stayed at his home; he's been a guest in mine; I use a bat he gave me when I play for my club in Melbourne; he's the author of a book I helped with the writing of. This is going to be awkward... Ed is not only an accomplished cricketer but a thoroughly good, kind and honourable man, as I became more completely aware when we collaborated on the book that was published a few months ago as In the Firing Line. Ed was an admirer of a book by another Ed, also a friend of mine, Englishman Ed Smith. On and Off the Field was a pithy and perceptive diary of English Ed's 2003 season for Kent, during which he was also chosen to play for England.

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And have a look at  Wayne Smith's defensive (who else has said private school boys can't play top level cricket?) background piece.