West Indian cricketers to thrill Kandy fans again

By Hafiz MARIKAR

CRICKET: Kandy, the heritage city of Sri Lanka warmly welcomes the touring West Indian cricketers managed by former great quick bowler Joel Garner. They arrive in Kandy today for the 3rd Test match with the Sri Lanka team to be played at the new Pallekelle Cricket Stadium starting on 1st of December. The only setback to witness an exciting 2nd Test at this new venue would the prevailing weather up in Kandy unsuitable for cricket at this moment of time, but according to the weather forecast it's expected to clear over the weekend. Inspection reports show that a lush outfield was waiting for the players to perform at their best.

The West Indies team in the past feared by all teams with their cavalier approach to the game, but sometime later probably in the last decade the quality dropped and now are picking up fast with entertaining cricket as in the past.

The West Indies team today is studded with a blend of youth and experience in the quest of finding the ideal combination for the future. Cricket lovers in Kandy have fine memories of the West Indians on their earlier tours, this writer reveals early years of West Indian cricket, from it's past records.

Recollecting the past, I remember on the 28th of February several years back, the Ceylon Daily Mirror XI vs. The Ceylon Cricket Association Presidents XI played a one-day game at the Colombo Oval. A large crowd was seen, at this match

The Ceylon Daily Mirror XI team comprised of the following - Conrad Hunte, Seymour Nurse, Rohan Kanhai, Sir Garfield Sobers, T. de Soysa, Dr. H.I.K. Fernando, Priya Perera, Y. Amaradasa, N. Senanayake, Wesley Hall and C. Watson.

Ceylon Cricket Association Presidents XI - S. Silva, T.C.T. Edwards, Michael Tissera, C.I. Gunasekara, L. Rodrigo, D.H. de Silva, H.C. Perera, Abu Fuard, S. Yatawara, K.M.T. Perera, F.B. Crozier.

The West Indian Tour party was made up of Gerry Gomez_Team Manager, Sonny Ramadhin, Gerry Alexander, Frank Worell, Gary Sobers, Alf Valentine, M. Marshal (Assistant Manager), Pete Lashley, Chester Watson, Cammie Smith, Tom Dewdney, Wesley Hall, Jackie Hendricks, Lance Gibbs, Conrad Hunte, Rohan Kanhai, Joe Solomon and Seymour Nurse.

Cricket lovers hailed the cricketers as always. The West Indians were the gay cavaliers of the willow and the leather and have lived up to the great traditions of the game - as can be seen in this brief history of West Indies cricket of early days.

West Indies started in 1800s

Since it is axiomatic that bats can be seen wherever Englishmen were found, the West Indians probably had their first taste of cricket when Jamaica was annexed to the British crown in 1665. There is evidence of cricket being played in the early 1800s, and the first factual stories come from the 1860s. Records reveal, for instance, James Lillywhite, a renowned English cricketer of that period, actually coached them in 1863, the first inter-colony match played between Barbados and British Guyana.

The first English team to visit the West Indies was in 1895-1896, the following year two teams were there. These teams were the result of private enterprise, and it was not until 1910-11 that the MCC sent it their first official team to tour the West Indies.

The first West Indian team to tour England was in 1900, and was led by R.S.A. Warner, a brother of Sir Pelham Warner, who himself played with the team against Leicester on that tour.

This team included Olivierra, who probably was the first of the distinguished line of West Indian batsmen. Having been attracted by the joys of the county cricket in England, he stayed behind after the tour and represented Derbyshire. It is of interest that Olivierra and Sir Pelham Warner had a first wicket stand of 238 against Leicester.

The MCC's first team to the West Indies played eleven first class games confining its tour to the four leading colonies, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and British Guyana.

Since then, these four have remained the center of West Indies cricket and have produced all great players. Jamaica, for instance, produced outstanding batsmens such as George Headley and Collie Smith.

Barbados boasts of the "Three Ws" and, that were not enough claims for Sobers during his time. He was the Test record holder for the highest score. Trinidad counts for the mercurial Learie Constantine, one of the most dynamic cricketers in history, as well as Stollmeyer, Ramadhin and Gomez.

British Guyana's contribution by way of outstanding cricketers have been the Christianiz and of course, Kanhai and Butcher.

It was in 1928 that West Indies played their first Test series against England and lost all the matches. George Headley, probably the finest batsman the West Indies produced at that time, made his appearance in 1929-30 series. He made four centuries in the four Tests played_176 at Bridgetown, 114 and 112 Georgetown and 233 at Kingstown. There had been tremendous scoring in the final Test, England had made a mammoth 849, West Indies replied with 286 but England did not enforce the follow-on. The game was abandoned, as the Englishmen wanted to catch the boat back home.

The West Indies scored their first Test win in 1934-35 when they beat a side led by R.E.S. Wyatt. Headiey set a new West Indies record at Kingston with an innings of 270 not out. This was eventually broken by Gary Sobers whose 365 not out against Pakistan at that time, was the highest Test score.

Everton Weekes took the honours in the tour of India in 1948-49. He hit four successive Test centuries as he had hit a century in his previous Test against England, it made five-in-a-row. His scores were 128 at Delhi, 194 at Bombay, 162 and 101 at Calcutta and 90 in Madras - where he was run out.

At one time the West Indies were the king makers of the sport, they have always had the capacity for high scoring at matches. Several of them have played innings of more than 300 runs.

Headley 344 not out, Stolmeyer 324 not out, Walcott 314 not out, Worrell 308 not out, Rarition 304 not out, and Sobers 365 not out.

In the early days before 1960s West Indies not only managed to control the game, but also recorded huge scores. They have figured in some mammoth partnerships as well. Worrell (255 not out) and Walcott (314 not out) had an unfinished partnership of 574 for the fourth wicket for Barbados against Trinidad in 1945-46.

In 1943-44, Worrell 308 not out and John Goddard 218 not out added an unfinished 502 for Barbados against Trinidad. George Headley 344 not out and C.C. Passilaigine 261 not out put on 478 in an unbeaten stand for the sixth wicket for Jamaica against a team captained by Lord Tennyson.

Kandy await windies

The West Indies visitors to Kandy today will be greeted by all cricket fans. I have known most of the West Indians for some time and when Joel Garner came as the Manager of the West Indian "A" team, I was the Liaison Officer of the team and we had a good understanding with the team which had players like S. Williams, D. Joseph, Rogger Harper was the captain, O. Gibson, P. Walalce, A. Samaraoo, S. Ford, R. Lewis, F. Reifer, N. Francis, N. Nagamootoo, L. Williams, R. Jacobs, T.O. Powell, A.L. Gus Loggie was the Coach and Joel Garner_Manager.

Joel Garner, when he was leaving after the tour, thanked me for the services in a letter addressed to the Sri Lanka Cricket President Upali Dharmadasa, he had said I would like to thank Sri Lanka cricket for making trip here a very pleasant and enjoyable one.

This time in Kandy, the two teams will be housed at the Mahaweli Reach Hotel.