[1] An opening batsman, Rowan was a dominant personality in South African cricket for more than 20 years on either side of the Second World War.

He had limited success in the Tests on this tour, with a highest score of just 62, but was the leading scorer in first-class games, with 1,948 runs in total and six centuries.

Returning to the South African Test team in the 1938–39 series against England, Rowan appeared to have cemented his place with 284 runs in four matches, with a top score of 89 not out.

Even when he was reinstated, in the 1948–49 home series against England, it was announced during the second Test at Johannesburg that he would be dropped for the next match: he responded by scoring an unbeaten 156 that enabled his team to salvage a draw after they had been 293 behind on the first innings.

But he remained dogged by controversy: in the match against Lancashire, Rowan and wicket-keeper John Waite were barracked for slow scoring, and responded by sitting down on the pitch until there was quiet.