West Indian cricket team

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The Post-War period (1950s and 1960s)

1950 saw another tour of England. Of the nine warm-up games before the first Test, the Windies won four, lost one and drew four, which seemed like good preparation. However, although Alf Valentine single-handedly spun England to 88 for 5 in the first innings, he could not stop Godfrey Evans (104) and Trevor Bailey (82*) from reviving England to 312 all out. Everton Weekes' 52 was the highest score in the Windies reply of 215, and England went on to set a target of 386 before Bob Berry and Eric Hollies bowled the visitors out for 183. However, the feature of the series was already established: dominance by the spinners. Valentine took 11 wickets and, with Sonny Ramadhin, would win the series for the visitors. The second Test saw the Windies put on 326 thanks to 106 from Allan Rae before Valentine (4 for 48) and Ramadhin (5 for 66). A mammoth 168 from Clyde Walcott saw England set a theoretical target of 601. Ramadhin's 6 for 86 and Valentine's 3 for 79 dismissed the hosts for 274. The spinning duo took 12 wickets, Frank Worrell made 261 and Everton Weekes 129 as the third Test went the Windies way by 10 wickets, and 14 wickets from Valentine and Ramadhin and centuries from Rae and Worrell saw England defeated by an innings and 56 runs despite Len Hutton's undefeated 202 in England's first innings. The West Indies won the series 3–1.

Related Topics:
1950 - Alf Valentine - Godfrey Evans - Trevor Bailey - Bob Berry - Eric Hollies - Sonny Ramadhin - Allan Rae - Clyde Walcott - Frank Worrell - Everton Weekes - Len Hutton

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In 1951–52 the Windies visited Australia. The first Test saw a narrow defeat by three wickets, with the two spinners seemingly continuing their form with twelve wickets between them. The second Test was lost by seven wickets, as Australia replied to the Windies 362 and 290 with 567 (which included centuries from Lindsay Hassett and Keith Miller) and 137 for 2. 6 wickets from Worrell in the third Test saw Australia dismissed for only 82. However, the Windies' lead on first innings was only 23. Despite 6 wickets from Valentine, the hosts made 255 in the second innings, but the Windies were able to knock off their target with six wickets spare. The fourth Test saw the narrowest possible result. Worrell, batting with an injured hand, scored 108 and helped the Windies to 272 before Australia made 216 in reply (John Trim taking 5 for 34. 203 from the Windies left Australia a target of 260. 5 wickets from Valentine helped reduced the Aussies to 222 for 9, 38 short with 1 wicket remaining. It didn't happen, as some brilliant running between the wicket by Bill Johnston and Doug Ring saw West Indies lose their composure and the match. Aussies gained an unassailable 3–1 lead in the series. The fifth Test saw three batting collapses, as Australia (116 and 377) beat Windies (78 and 213) by 202 runs. The West Indies then went on to New Zealand. In the first Test encounter between the two teams, Ramadhin and Valentine combined to take eight wickets as New Zealand fell for 236, and later six wickets to dismiss them for 189 in their second innings. 287 and 142 for 5 saw the visitors to a 5-wicket victory. In the second and final Test, Alf Rae scored 99, Jeffrey Stollmeyer 152, Frank Worrell 100 and Clyde Walcott 115 as the West Indies put on 546 for 6 declared. There wasn't enough time to bowl out the opposition twice though, as the hosts made 160 and were following-on at 17 for 1 when stumps were drawn.

Related Topics:
1951 - 52 - Australia - Lindsay Hassett - Keith Miller - John Trim - Bill Johnston - Doug Ring - New Zealand - Alf Rae - Jeffrey Stollmeyer - Frank Worrell - Clyde Walcott

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The Indians toured at the beginning of 1953. The first Test petered out into a draw after India made 417, with Polly Umrigar making 130, and the Windies 438, with Everton Weekes making 207 and Bruce Pairaudeau 115. Ramadhin's 5 for 26 on the way to dismissing India for 129 in their second innings in the second Test saw the hosts score a 142-run victory before the other three Tests were played out for draws. The highlight of these games was Frank Worrell's 237 in the fifth Test, where all the three W's scored hundreds, as the West Indies scored a 1–0 series victory.

Related Topics:
Indians - 1953 - Polly Umrigar - Everton Weekes - Bruce Pairaudeau - Frank Worrell

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Len Hutton led an MCC (England) side to the islands in 1953–54. Sonny Ramadhin again starred for the Windies taking 23 wickets (no other West Indian took more than 8), as Walcott's 698 runs was more than 200 higher than second-placed West Indian, Everton Weekes. 417 and 209 for 6 declared saw the Windies beat England's 170 and 316 by 140 runs. Walcott's 220 and John Holt's 166 helped the hosts to a 181 victory margin in the second Test. Hutton's 169 was the largest score in the third Test, as the MCC won by 9 wickets. This Test saw a major incident when the crowd protested a run-out by throwing bottles on the ground. A high-scoring draw followed, with Weekes making a double-century and Worrell, Walcott, Peter May and Denis Compton making centuries. Trevor Bailey's 7 for 34 saw out the Windies for 139 in the fifth and final Test, and then Len Hutton's 205 took England to 414. The Windies second innings was better, but their 346 could only set a target of 72 runs, which England got for the loss of only one wicket to tie the series 2–2. This Test saw the first appearance of the 17-year-old Garry Sobers, who was to go on to become one of cricket's greatest ever all-rounders.

Related Topics:
Len Hutton - 1953 - 54 - Sonny Ramadhin - John Holt - Peter May - Denis Compton - Garry Sobers - All-rounder

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Australia came and conquered in 1954–55. After the Aussies made 515 in the first innings of the first Test, the Windies went down by 9 wickets. Then the Windies 382 was put in the shade by 600 for 9 declared by the visitors as the second Test was drawn. A low-scoring third Test saw Australia (257 and 133 for 2) beat the hosts (182 and 207) by 8 wickets. After Australia scored 668 in the fourth Test, the series was lost, although a double century from captain Denis Atkinson and a world-record stand for the seventh wicket allowed the Windies to reach 510 and draw the Test. The fifth Test saw the West Indies win the toss and bat. Walcott's 155 was the highest score of their 357. The Australians then batted and batted, in total for 245.4 overs in the 6-day Test, as they put on 758 for 8 declared, with five players making centuries. 319 in the West Indies' second innings left them defeated by an innings and 82 runs in the Test, and by three games to nil in the series. Walcott set records by scoring five hundreds, and hundreds in both innings of a match twice.

Related Topics:
1954 - 55 - Denis Atkinson

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A short tour of New Zealand in February 1956 saw four Tests played. After two wins by an innings and one by 9 wickets, the Kiwis surprised the Windies in the fourth, dismissing them for 145 and 77 as they recorded their first ever Test win in their 45th Test.

Related Topics:
New Zealand - 1956

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John Goddard returned to captain the West Indians for a tour of England in 1957. The team contained all the key players of the 1950 tour but ended up as a disaster. West Indies looked like winning the first Test when Ramadhin took 7 for 49. But in the second innings, Peter May and Colin Cowdrey, using their pads more often than the bat, put on 411 runs and reduced Ramadhin to such hopelessness that he was never the same bowler again. England won three Tests and nearly won the other two.

Related Topics:
John Goddard - 1957 - 1950 - Peter May - Colin Cowdrey

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Against Pakistan at Kingston in 1958, Garry Sobers scored 365 not out, setting a new world record for the highest score in Test cricket. This match saw West Indies make 790 for 3, their highest ever score.

Related Topics:
Pakistan - Kingston - 1958 - Garry Sobers

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Collie Smith, a promising all-rounder, had been one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1958. While playing in the Lancashire League in 1959, he died in a car accident. The car was being driven by Garry Sobers.

Related Topics:
Collie Smith - Wisden Cricketers of the Year - 1958 - Lancashire League - Garry Sobers

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Despite being a country where whites are a minority, till 1960 West Indies were always captained by white cricketers. Throughout the fifties, voices, mainly lead by CLR James and Learie Constantine, calling for a black captain grew. Finally, Frank Worrell was chosen to lead West Indies in their tour of Australia in 1960. In his three years as captain, Worrell moulded a bunch of talented but raw cricketers into the best team in the world.

Related Topics:
CLR James - Learie Constantine - Frank Worrell - Australia - 1960

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In 1960, Australia were the best team in the world but on their way down, while West Indies were on their way up. It so happened that when they met, the two teams were of almost equal strength. The result was a series that, along with the 2005 Ashes, has been recognised as one of the greatest of all time. The first Test in Brisbane was the first Test ever to end in a tie, which in cricket means the side batting last has been dismissed with scores level. The teams shared the next two Tests. In the fourth, Australia's last pair of Ken Mackay and Lindsay Kline played out the last 100 minutes of the match to earn a draw, while Australia won the final Test and the series by two wickets. One of the days of play was attended by a world-record crowd of 90,800. Such was the impression created by Worrell's team that the newly instituted trophy for the series between the two teams was named the Frank Worrell Trophy. Half a million people lined the streets of Melbourne to bid them a ticker-tape farewell.

Related Topics:
Australia - The 2005 Ashes - Brisbane - Tie - Ken Mackay - Lindsay Kline - Frank Worrell Trophy - Melbourne

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West Indies had beat India 5–0 at home next year, and in 1963, they beat a fine English team by three matches to one. The Lord's Test of this series saw a famous finish. With two balls left, England needed six runs to win, and West Indies one wicket. The non-striker was Colin Cowdrey, who had his left arm in a sling, having fractured it earlier in the day. However, David Allen safely played out the last two balls and the match ended in a draw. Worrell retired at the end of the series. The selectors picked Garry Sobers to succeed him. Worrell served as the team manager when West Indies hosted Australia in 1964–65.

Related Topics:
India - 1963 - English team - Lord's - Colin Cowdrey - David Allen - Garry Sobers

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The matches against Australia were bitterly fought, with accusations about Charlie Griffith's action and bouncer wars. The West Indies won this series 2–1 to be the unofficial world champions. Sobers, however, was no Worrell and cracks soon began to appear. Often it was his individual brilliance that made the difference between a win and a loss. Throughout the sixties, West Indies bowling was led by Wes Hall, Griffith, Lance Gibbs and Sobers himself. Hall and Griffith faded and then retired by the end of the decade, but WI could find no replacement for them till the mid-seventies.

Related Topics:
Charlie Griffith - Wes Hall - Lance Gibbs

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Sobers was at his best in England in 1966, scoring 722 runs and taking 20 wickets in the five Tests. Three times he topped 150, and the 163* at Lord's turned a certain defeat into a near victory. West Indies won 3–1, but the victory was somewhat soured by an unexpected innings defeat in the last Test.

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Sir Frank Worrell died in 1967 from leukaemia at the age of 42. England toured West Indies in 1967–68. West Indies were forced to follow on in the first Test but saved it without difficulty. The second Test was played on an underprepared wicket at Kingston. England won an important toss and scored 376. The bounce of the wicket having become very uneven, West Indies collapsed to 143 and followed on again. On the fourth day in the second innings, a disputed decision led to a crowd riot, and the match had to be stopped for some time. In a curious decision, the West Indian Cricket Board (WICB) agreed to add a 75-minute sixth day to compensate for the lost time. Sobers played an outstanding innings of 113 not out, which allowed West Indies to set England a target of 159 in 155 minutes. England just about saved the game, losing eight wickets for 68.

Related Topics:
1967 - 68 - Follow on - Kingston

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West Indies gained a first innings lead of 122 in the fourth Test at Port-of-Spain, but with the second innings score at 92 for 2, Sobers surprisingly declared the innings. England were set a target of 215 in 165 minutes and they achieved it with 3 minutes to spare. Sobers' unnecessary generosity was widely criticised. Hall was not playing and Griffith was out with injury. It left only Gibbs and Sobers to carry the bowling. West Indies made one last effort to win the final Test, but England drew it with only wicket left in their second innings. West Indies lost the series 0–1, the first defeat since 1960–61.

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From then, West Indies were on their way down. Australia and Bill Lawry had their revenge in 1968–69. West Indies won the first Test at Brisbane thanks to Sobers' career best 6/73, but Australia won the next two. The fourth seemed to go the way of the third when Australia took a first innings lead of 247. West Indies fought back magnificently – Butcher scored a century, Kanhai, Joey Carew and David Holford narrowly missed theirs. They were all out on the last morning for 616, setting Australia 360 to win. Australia entered the last hour needing 57 with seven wickets in hand. After series of run outs – including Ian Redpath when backing up – they were 333 for 9. But the last pair held on till the end. Any hopes of coming back were destroyed by the Australian first innings of 619 at Sydney, which included a 242 by Doug Walters. Lawry did not enforce the follow on, and instead set West Indies 735 to win in nearly two days. West Indies lost the series 1–3.

Related Topics:
Bill Lawry - 1968 - 69 - Brisbane - Joey Carew - David Holford - Run out - Ian Redpath - Sydney - Doug Walters

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New Zealand managed to draw the series that followed. West Indies wound up with a 0–2 defeat in the three Tests in England. A decade that began with Worrell and so much promise had evolved into the darkest years, at least until the early 2000s, in the West Indian cricket history.

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