History Of Cricket In The West Indies From 1945–46 To 1970

This article describes the history of West Indies cricket from 1946 to 1970.

First-class cricket in the West Indies had begun in February 1865 and the federation began playing Test cricket in 1928, but it was not until the 1965–66 West Indian cricket season that a formal domestic competition was founded, this being the Shell Shield which has subsequently evolved into the Carib Beer Cup.

Post-war cricket to 1970

West Indies cricket received a tremendous boost when its team defeated England in the 1950 Test series. The preceding few years had seen the emergence of truly great players like Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott, and Gary Sobers followed during the 1950s.

In 1965, Shell Oil sponsored its Shell Shield and the West Indies at last had a true domestic championship. At first the new competition involved Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the Combined Islands team which was an amalgam of Leeward Islands cricket team and Windward Islands cricket team.

Shell Shield winners to 1970

* 1965–66 Barbados
* 1966–67 Barbados
* 1967–68 ''no competition''
* 1968–69 Jamaica
* 1969–70 Trinidad and Tobago

International tours to 1970

England 1947–48

1st Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – match drawn

2nd Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – match drawn

3rd Test
at Bourda, Georgetown – West Indies won by 7 wickets

4th Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – West Indies won by 10 wickets

India 1952–53

1st Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – match drawn

2nd Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – West Indies won by 142 runs

3rd Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – match drawn

4th Test
at Bourda, Georgetown – match drawn

5th Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – match drawn

England 1953–54

1st Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – West Indies won by 140 runs

2nd Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – West Indies won by 181 runs

3rd Test
at Bourda, Georgetown – England won by 9 wickets

4th Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – match drawn

5th Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – England won by 9 wickets

Australia 1954–55

1st Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – Australia won by 9 wickets

2nd Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – match drawn

3rd Test
at Bourda, Georgetown – Australia won by 8 wickets

4th Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – match drawn

5th Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – Australia won by an innings and 82 runs

E. W. Swanton's XI 1955–56

In March and April 1956 E. W. Swanton's XI of English Test and county players played two first-class matches against Barbados, one against Trinidad, and one against a West Indies XI, as well as three non-first-class matches.

Duke of Norfolk's XI 1956–57

In February and March 1957 the Duke of Norfolk's XI of English Test and county players visited Jamaica, playing three first-class matches against Jamaica, winning two and drawing the other, as well as seven non-first-class matches.

Pakistan 1957–58

1st Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – match drawn

2nd Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – West Indies won by 120 runs

3rd Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – West Indies won by an innings and 174 runs

4th Test
at Bourda, Georgetown – West Indies won by 8 wickets

5th Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – Pakistan won by an innings and 1 run

England 1959–60

1st Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – match drawn

2nd Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – England won by 256 runs

3rd Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – match drawn

4th Test
at Bourda, Georgetown – match drawn

5th Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – match drawn

E. W. Swanton's XI 1960–61

In March and April 1961 E. W. Swanton's XI of English Test and county players, plus a few internationals, played first-class matches against Windward Islands, Berbice, British Guiana and Trinidad, as well as five non-first-class matches.

India 1961–62

1st Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – West Indies won by 10 wickets

2nd Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – West Indies won by an innings and 18 runs

3rd Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – West Indies won by an innings and 30 runs

4th Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – West Indies won by 7 wickets

5th Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – West Indies won by 123 runs

Australia 1964–65

1st Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – West Indies won by 179 runs

2nd Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – match drawn

3rd Test
at Bourda, Georgetown – West Indies won by 212 runs

4th Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – match drawn

5th Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – Australia won by 10 wickets

Rest of the World XI in Barbados 1966–67

As part of Barbados's independence celebrations, a strong team of Test players from six countries visited Barbados in March 1967 and played a first-class match and a one-day 40-over match against Barbados. The World team won both matches.

England 1967–68

1st Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – match drawn

2nd Test
at Sabina Park, Kingston – match drawn

3rd Test
at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados – match drawn

4th Test
at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad – England won by 7 wickets

5th Test
at Bourda, Georgetown – match drawn

Duke of Norfolk's XI 1969–70

In February and March 1970 the Duke of Norfolk's XI of English Test and county players played first-class matches against Windward Islands, Trinidad and Barbados, as well as six non-first-class matches."Duke of Norfolk's Side in West Indies, 1970", ''Wisden'' 1971, pp. 922–25.

References

External sources

CricketArchive – itinerary of events

Further reading

* ''Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development'' by Rowland Bowen
* ''Beyond a Boundary'' by CLR James
* Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

{{DEFAULTSORT:History of cricket in the West Indies from 1945-46 to 1970
1945-46 to 1970