Lucas Cricket Club is a cricket club in
Kingston,
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
. 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
A hackney or hackney carriage (also called a cab, black cab, hack or London taxi) is a carriage or car for hire. A hackney of a more expensive or high class was called a remise. A symbol of London and Britain, the black taxi is a common si ...
driver.
Robert Slade Lucas
Robert Slade Lucas (17 July 1867, in Teddington, Middlesex – 5 January 1942, in Franklands Village, Haywards Heath, Sussex) was an English cricketer who played for Middlesex. He was a right-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium paced ...
, the captain of a team from England visiting Jamaica at the time, donated equipment to assist in the establishment of the fledgling club. In 1898, the club renamed itself to honour Lucas' role in its foundation.
The formation of the club has been described as "the most important event in the history of the island game" as it provided an avenue for poor black cricketers to play the game, leading it to becoming the national sport of Jamaica.
The club's performance in the lower division of Jamaican cricket soon saw them offered a position in the Senior Cup, the premier cricket competition in Jamaica. The club was almost instantly successful, finishing runners-up in 1903 and winning in 1904, 1905 and 1906.
Famous cricketers who have played for Lucas CC include:
*
George Headley
George Alphonso Headley OD, MBE (30 May 1909 – 30 November 1983) was a West Indian cricketer who played 22 Test matches, mostly before World War II. Considered one of the best batsmen to play for the West Indies and one of the greatest crick ...
.
*
Frank Worrell
Sir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell (1 August 1924 – 13 March 1967), sometimes referred to by his nickname of Tae, was a West Indies cricketer and Jamaican senator. A stylish right-handed batsman and useful left-arm seam bowler, he became fam ...
.
*
Chris Gayle
Christopher Henry Gayle, OD (born 21 September 1979) is a Jamaican cricketer who has been playing international cricket for the West Indies since 1999. A destructive batter, Gayle is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen to have play ...
.
References
External links
CricketArchive
Cricket teams in Jamaica
1895 establishments in Jamaica
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