Rowe was born at Glasgow in Scotland in 1915 and died at Palmerston North in New Zealand in 1995 aged 79.

[3][4] A middle-order batsman, Rowe made his first-class cricket debut in 1944–45, and had played six first-class matches for Wellington before being selected for the Test team, having scored 324 runs at an average of 27.00 runs per innings, with his top score of 72 made against Otago at Wellington.

In his Test match, also played in Wellington, he was dismissed for a pair, bowled by Bill O'Reilly each time.

He had little success with the bat, but in his last match he led the team to an innings victory against Otago, which ensured Central Districts second place in the Plunket Shield.

[8] Rowe stood as an umpire in three matches in the 1982 Women's Cricket World Cup held in New Zealand.