Archibald Belford Cumberbatch (born 1 June 1879; death details unknown) was a West Indian cricketer who toured England in 1906. He was a right arm fast bowler. Although raised in Barbados he found few opportunities there and moved to Trinidad in 1896 to serve as groundsman to

Queen's Park Cricket Club The Queen's Park Cricket Club (QPCC) is a cricket club in Trinidad and Tobago, current owner of the Queen's Park Oval, having previously played at the Queen's Park Savannah since its founding in 1891. During the first decades of the twentieth cent ...

Port-of-Spain Port of Spain (Spanish: ''Puerto España''), officially the City of Port of Spain (also stylized Port-of-Spain), is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago and the third largest municipality, after Chaguanas and San Fernando. The city has a municip ...

. In 1896–97 he played for Trinidad against both Lord Hawke's team and Priestley's team, playing for the combined West Indies side and taking an incredible 45 wickets in the 5 matches. Even in Trinidad being a Professional limited his opportunities to play in important matches, the

Inter-Colonial Tournament The Inter-Colonial Tournament was the main first class cricket competition in the West Indies held between 1892-93 and 1938-39. Competing teams * Barbados * British Guiana * Trinidad In the early tournaments British Guiana were sometimes r ...

being restricted to Amateurs only. He returned to Barbados briefly in 1899 before moving to Jamaica to play for the

Lucas Cricket Club Lucas Cricket Club is a cricket club in Kingston, Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica. The club was founded in 1895 as the Jamaica Cricket Club by ex-students of Calabar Elementary School, organised by David Ellington, a hackney cab driver. Robert Slade Luc ...

in Kingston. Returning again to Barbados in 1900 he played for Fenwicks Cricket Club and then moved back to Trinidad in 1901 to play for Stingo Cricket Club. Despite his impressive form, he was not selected for the 1900 tour to England. His next important matches were against Lord Brackley's team in 1904–05. In the first Trinidad match he took 13 wickets and was then selected for the combined West Indies team. He took 4 wickets in this match and then a further 7 in the second Trinidad game to complete an impressive two weeks cricket. He then played in all 4 matches for the Trinidad when they toured Jamaica in 1905–06. He was again impressive taking 31 wickets and then finishing off with 127* in the final match. He was selected for the second West Indies touring side that toured England in 1906. In 12 first class matches he scored 223 at an average of 11.73 and took 24 wickets at an average of 29.95. Before the 1906 tour he was described as "one of the best professional bowlers in the West Indies (fast over-arm). Is a native of Barbados" and "a professional who may be looked on as the mainstay of the attack. He bowls fast right arm, with an off break, the balls rising very sharply with the pitch. He has a good defence and is a safe field". He turned out to be a disappointment on the tour, his wickets being expensive. He did score a rapid 59* in 65 minutes against the M.C.C. but never took five wickets in an innings. Back in the West Indies he played in William Shepherd's team in one of their matches Trinidad in 1909–10 but this was his only first class match after the 1906 tour. During the 1906 tour he was invariably reported as being "

C. P. Cumberbatch C. P. Cumberbatch (22 November 1882 – 15 February 1922) was a Trinidadian cricketer. He played in ten first-class matches for Trinidad and Tobago from 1909 to 1922. During the West Indies 1906 tour to England, C. P. Cumberbatch was someti ...

", but C. P. Cumberbatch was a different player. It was only in 2000 that much of the confusion concerning these two men was resolved by Ray Goble and Keith Sandiford.Ray Goble &

Keith A. P. Sandiford Keith Arlington Patrick Sandiford GCM (born 2 March 1936) is a Barbadian-born Canadian historian. He has been professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba since 2002. Life and career Keith Sandiford was born in Barbados and educated at Comb ...

, "Revised Career Records for A.B. and C.P. Cumberbatch", ''The Cricket Statistician'', no. 110, 2000, pages 20–22.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cumberbatch, Archie Pre-1928 West Indies cricketers Trinidad and Tobago cricketers 1879 births Year of death missing Barbadian cricketers People from Saint Andrew, Barbados British Trinidad and Tobago people Emigrants from British Barbados