Cricket, lovely cricket

Over the past couple weeks, I have been consumed by cricket, football and carnival. I had just finished reading Hilary Beckles’ Cricket’s First Revolutionary -Frank Worrel’s Political War Against Colonialism Over the past couple weeks, I have been consumed by cricket, football and carnival. I had just finished reading Hilary Beckles’ Cricket’s First Revolutionary -Frank Worrel’s Political War Against Colonialism in the West Indies when news reached me that the West Indies Cricket team had defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 217 runs with a 6th wicket partnership of 401 between the young Amir Jangoo from Trinidad scoring a double century in his second test match, and the captain Roston Chase scoring 194. In that game Kemar Roache took his 300 test wicket, joining the greats, Marshall, Walsh, Ambrose and Gibbs. That was fascinating news, even more remarkable was that little was being said here about it. I make this point because last year the failures of the team were placed firmly on the CWI president Dr. Kishore Shallow. But it must be remembered that it was an election year and the then PM made a big thing about it, even contacting media houses to make the point that he should not be a candidate and retain his CWI position. He felt that the problems with the team had a lot to do with it. He even organised an Emancipation Cricket Match to show-up Shallow.

I had long felt that cricket was as much what happened on the field as it was with what was happening beyond the boundary and that no individual could be blamed then for the ill-fortunes of the team. After having read Beckles book on Worrell I am more than ever convinced. That is not to say that leadership and management were not important. I started listening to West Indies Cricket when I was still a very young primary school student. At home my uncles who were cricket enthusiasts would have the radio on whenever a match involving the West Indies was being played. So even without understanding what the game was about, I embraced the 3 WS. Weekes was my favourite, but Worrel’s calm and style appealed to me. I don’t know why I had forgotten, but I was on a radio programme one day when Palmer from Bottom Town phoned and reminded me that I once received some coaching from Worrell. The truth is my memory has always been bad, (the reason why I decided to study history). I remembered however that I was one of a number of other students who received coaching from Conrad Hunte.

Beckles showed that he was a strong advocate in the fight against colonialism. He resented and was critical of the fact that at that time in the 1940s and 1950s when there were outstanding Black Cricketers, Colonial whites, Goddard and Atkinson, were given the nod to be captains. We should also add to this Jeffrey Stolmyer. Among his comrades in the anti-colonial struggle were Sir Arthur Lewis who was a professor of Economics at Manchester University when Worrell, who was playing for the Lancashire League, was enrolled as a student. He was also a friend of Eric Williams, Norman Manley, CLR James and Errol Barrow, comrades in the fight against colonialism. Worrell fought on behalf of the Black cricketers. He demanded that he, and by extension the other players be paid for their services. The elite captains were well stocked and connected.

Worrell made his debut for Barbados at the age of 17 but his debut to test cricket when he was 23, delayed because of the World War. I always thought that CLR James was the person largely responsible for the WICBC finally passing the captaincy to Worrell, but James came in at the closing stages of Worrell’s campaign. Spectators at a WI/England match at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad from January 28 to February 3, 1960, made their views well known. But according to Beckles in 1953, 2,000 Jamaicans at the Kingston Race Course demanded that Worrell be made captain.

The WICBC finally buckled and Worrell was appointed to captain the team on its tour of Australia in 1960/61. Worrell bonded with his team. He wanted ‘aggressive, competitive cricket’ and needed to show case the talent and to build a team, not one with factions. The Australian tour was a demonstration of his leadership ability, and he found common ground with the Australian captain who wanted competitive and attractive cricket. West Indies lost the series 2-1 but they made an impact. When they were leaving Melbourne estimates of a million people came to see them off. According to the Daily Gleaner of Barbados (quoted by Beckles) Worrell recalled that “… traffic was literally stopped; people were to be seen lining the streets, leaning out of windows, three or four stories up. As we travelled through the milling crowd at snail’s pace; we heard tremendously gratifying statements…but the one which was quite frequently made, and which brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes was ‘Come Back Soon’. “

I was a young student at the Grammar School. Some nights although having to get up to go to school I listened to cricket until the early hours of the morning. I remember the first test being tied. Australia needed 233 to win. They were at one time 228 for 7, cruising to victory but were eventually all out for 232. The crowd erupted at a match like none other. I remember Joe Solomon’s two run outs. Then there was Lance Gibbs’ remarkable hat trick in the 4th test!
That period was one when the fight against colonialism was well and truly on. The fight was against obvious discrimination. There was the issue with Roy Gilchrist, the fastest bowler around who was sent home by Alexander for bowling beamers against a Pakistani batsman. Worrell, who was not yet captain was prepared to offer advice on how to deal with Gilchrist. Even when he assumed captaincy the WICBC was not prepared to back away from its decision.

We have to remember what was happening Beyond the Boundary. 1951 was the year most of the then colonies gained Adult Suffrage. The late fifties and early sixties was the period of the Federation and its break-up. Jamaica and Trinidad became independent in 1962. The fight against colonialism was well and truly on and Worrell as captain and later manager was able to marshall the forces and to let his voice go beyond Cricket.

• Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian