The Evolution of the Cricket Bat and Batting Techniques

The first mention of the bat used in cricket can be traced as far back as the 1620s. Interestingly, this particular reference to the bat is in relation to the death of fielder during a game, and the inference is that the batsman had hit the fielder with his bat in order to prevent him catching the ball. This incident may have also served as the instigator of what is now Law 37 - Obstructing the Field. Bats at that time were shaped very similarly to modern hockey sticks; as the ball was delivered underarm and rolled along the ground this design made sense. The cricket bat commenced its transition to the now recognisable rectangular profile in the 1770s, when the laws of cricket changed to allow bowlers to ‘loop’ the ball in the air whilst still bowling underarm. The change in law resulted in a corresponding change in batting technique, with players starting to use a more vertical swing of the bat, as opposed to the horizontal ‘sweeping’ motion that was commonplace with balls rolled along the ground. The bat was still very heavy at the base, and it wasn’t until the 1820s with the advent of round-arm bowling that bats started to take the truly modern form.

Initially, the laws of the game made no restriction on what size or shape the bat needed to be. This limitation was not needed, until a clever thinking player, one ‘Shock’ White representing Ryegate, marched out to bat against Hambledon in 1771 with a bat the width of the stumps. This tactic was considered quite unsportsmanlike, and Hambledon’s recommendation that the bat be officially limited to a maximum of four and a quarter inches in width was quickly accepted around all of England. A number of steel gauges were made, so that bats could be quickly checked for conformity to this new law. This change in law consolidated the changes in batting technique from predominantly horizontal swing path to a mixture of vertical and horizontal. The different shots we see now were starting to take shape, however, the general batting technique was based around power and strength.

The search to find the ideal timber for making cricket bats has seen many different types of wood experimented with. Traditionally, cricket bats have been made from English willow, known as Salix Alba Caerulea. It has been used since the early 1800s in almost all cricket bats. The reason for using willow related to its resilience to the impact of a hard ball, its toughness and also its relative lightness. Other timbers have been found to be either too dense, which makes them too heavy to be used, or not dense enough, which results in them breaking on contact. These early bats made from English willow could weight up to a massive five pounds in weight, and were constructed from the heartwood of the tree. This part of the timber is very dense, and this is why the cricket bats of this era appear far darker in colour than more modern ones. In 1890, the English bat manufacturer C.C. Bussey started using the sapwood of the tree instead, and found that it was far lighter and was also more cosmetically appealing to buyers. Very soon afterwards, all bats started being constructed from ‘white’ willow.

The early ‘white’ willow bats were a lot lighter than previous versions, weighing a few pounds at most. This change coincided with the “Golden Age” of batting, with a number of players such as Kumar Ranjitsinhji and Victor Trumper using these lighter blades to great effect. Bats of this era were characterised by a very slim and relatively straight profile, with very thin edges. The distribution of the weight was often quite high in the blade, as this helped with the desire for a ‘feather’ feel. Interestingly, the actual length of the entire bat was also smaller than today, with the handle being quite short. The bats were usually in the range of two pounds to two pounds and four ounces. The batting technique was again altering, with many players relying on touch rather than power. Ranji’s development of the leg glance and glides were, at least partially, made possible by the fact that the bat was light enough to be manoeuvred easily. Late cuts and other shots that relied on timing rather than brute strength were quickly adopted as the bats of the day allowed greater improvisation.

By the late 1920s, a few players were again trialling the use of heavier bats. Whilst leading batsmen like Jack Hobbs, Don Bradman and Wally Hammond used a bat of around 2 pounds 2 ounces, Bill Ponsford was famous for his “Big Bertha” bat. Ponsford used bats around 2 pounds 9 ounces which were considered very heavy for the time. The bats also lasted a long time. The willow was very heavily pressed during the making, which made it more durable, but also less responsive. However, the majority of players were still using light bats. Batting techniques were still predominantly around touch and feel. It was normal in this period for at least 110 overs to be bowled on every day, so the number of runs per over didn’t need to be high. A scoring rate of two and a half runs per over would still see nearly 300 runs scored in the day. The introduction of both timeless and five day test matches saw less emphasis on quick scoring, and more on survival. Many batsmen relied on stroking or deflecting the ball rather than striking it fiercely.

The actual design of cricket bats had remained fairly standard since the 1890s. By the 1960s, some players were choosing to return to very heavy bats, with Graeme Pollock and Clive Lloyd both using blades that exceeded three pounds in weight. This density assisted greatly with the power they could hit the ball with. The heavier options were not for all players though, as many struggled to play shots such as cuts and hooks as the sheer weight of the bat limited their ability to move it quickly enough. Gary Sobers continued using a very light bat until the end of his career. However, during the 1970s John Newberry and Gray Nicolls started experimenting with various changes in the weighting of the bat. Karsten Solheim, an engineer with General Electric in the USA had started making golf putters with heel-toe (or perimeter) weighting in the late 1950s. These putters had proved extremely popular with both professionals and amateurs alike due to their forgiveness. Gray Nicolls used similar concepts in their ‘Super Scoop’ bat, which featured a large hollow on the back of the bat, and more wood around the edges. This redistribution of weight from the middle to the edge allowed the manufacturers to increase the ‘sweet spot’ on the bat, thus making a bat that was more forgiving to slight mishits.

In recent years, the bat makers have continued to refine their art. By careful design of scoops, hollows, plugs, cores and so on, the sweet spots have been maximised and even mishits race to, and over, the boundary. The weight of Ponsford’s bats, once considered exceptional, are now considered on the light side of average. By pressing the timber less, bats can be made much heavier whilst still retaining a light feel and pickup. This has also resulted in a great reduction in durability. Bradman said that he changed his bat around every 1000 runs or so, and that this was considered fairly normal for batsmen of his era (admittedly for Bradman, this was after every three of four innings). In contrast, Herschelle Gibbs once commented to the Guardian newspaper that he went through 47 bats in one season. Players can now have the combination of power and manoeuvrability in the one bat, and with sponsorship, they don’t have to worry about how long the bats last for.

One of the interesting side-effects of this revolution in bats may be the increase in net run-rate that is evident around the world in Test cricket. The great cricket statistician, Charles Davis, conducted some fascinating research into the percent of team scores that is the result of boundaries. During the 19^th Century, just less than half a team’s runs were scored in boundaries. This figure remained remarkably consistent throughout the 20^th Century, before starting to rise in 1990. It has now nearly reached 60%, a quite considerable increase in less than two decades, after being stationary for over a century.

Some of this increased run-rate can naturally be ascribed to fast outfields, shorter boundaries, and possibly weaker opposition. However, it seems clear that the technological change in bats has also been a significant factor. Batsmen are not afraid to risk hitting sixes, as even mishits can still clear the boundary. Comparisons of bats from even twenty years ago show significant changes. The edges of bats are now measured in centimetres, not millimetres. The meat of the bat is now much lower in the blade, but also thicker. Bats now quite often have a pronounced ‘bow’ shape, in contrast to many of the straight blades of the past. The weights of bats have increased, and yet the feel and pickup of them has not been affected adversely. A recent quote by a friend summed up the difference ‘looks like a railway sleeper, picks up like a wand’. Shots that seemed to be forgotten during the 1970s such as the late cut have made a comeback. Batsmen are able to combine both touch and power within a wide range of shots, and run-rates have soared.

Golf, tennis and other sports have seen a major revolution in recent years due to changes in materials such as carbon fibre, graphite and titanium. The clubheads of golf drivers have tripled in size, but the overall weight hasn’t increased. Cricket has not seen this structural shift (apart from Kookaburra’s graphite reinforced bat) due to the requirement for the bat to be made of wood, however, other technological improvements have definitely improved the equipment batsman have on hand. These changes will naturally continue in to the future, as the cricket bat continues to evolve and manufacturers seek the next big breakthrough. And batting techniques will continue to evolve with them.

Player Profile - Sydney Francis Barnes

The standard route for an aspiring player to reach test cricket involves performing at a suitably impressive level for the local club team, from there selection in the state or provincial side, and then, with luck and impeccable timing, being chosen for the national team. It is almost inconceivable now that a player could be chosen for England without playing regularly for one of the established county teams, however it has occurred on occasions. One of the few that have managed it regularly was Sydney Barnes, an imposing figure who preferred to play professionally in League cricket than in the County Championship.

Sydney Barnes was born on the 19th of April, 1873 in Smethwick, Staffordshire. He was the second born of five children, three boys and two girls, all of whom were born and lived the majority of their lives in Staffordshire. Syd's father Richard was a typical working class individual, being employed by the same Birmingham firm for sixty three years. Syd did not play cricket regularly until the age of fifteen, when he first started to turn out for a local team in the Smethwick town competition. At that time, Smethwick's first XI played in the local Birmingham League, and they employed a professional called Billy Bird who was a Warwickshire representative. He provided coaching for the local players one night a week, and Syd was soon invited to participate in these sessions. Whilst Syd was initially a wicket-keeper, his bowling quickly took caught the attention of Bird. He took the time in the weekly net practice to assist Syd to learn the basics of spinning the ball, however even this training was very limited.

Syd's ability as a frontline bowler first became evident when chosen for the Smethwick First Eleven. Whilst he started off the innings keeping, the team captain Dick Thomas informed him soon after the start of play that he would bowl next. Bowling his medium paced spinners, Syd ran through the opposition batting, finishing with 7 for 19. Syd continued this form in follow-up games, and quickly made a name for himself throughout the Birmingham Leagues. By the age of nineteen, Syd had reached his final height of six foot one, with a muscular physique characterized by long arms and fingers. He only bowled off a short run, but could bowl at genuine medium pace. His stock ball was a leg break, but even at this early stage in his career he possessed the ability to also bowl a variety of different deliveries including off-breaks, top-spinners, as well as in and out swingers.

Syd's bowling ability had been spotted by the Warwickshire selectors, and he was chosen to play the last match of the 1893 season against Gloucestershire at Bristol. He was invited back the following year, and indeed played another handful of games for Warwickshire from 1894 through to 1896. A permanent contract was not offered to him however, and through the necessity of making a living, Syd became a professional cricketer. In 1895, he signed up for Rishton who played in the famous Lancashire League, for the grand sum of three pounds 10 shillings a week. In his first season for Rishton, Syd took a total of 71 wickets, and followed this with 85 wickets in the 1896 season and 87 in 1897. His 1898 season was even better, as he snared 97 wickets at an average of just 8.46. 1899 saw him take another 71 wickets, meaning that in his five years with Rishton he had taken 411 wickets at the modest average of 9.10.

Syd moved from Rishton to Burnley, playing there for two years in 1900 and 1901. It was here that Syd's chance to play test cricket came about. Syd's domination of the Lancashire Leagues had continued with Burnley as with Rishton, and his reputation spread far beyond the local leagues. A.C. MacLaren, the England captain, specifically selected him for play for Lancashire against Leicestershire late in the summer of 1901. This match was seen purely as a trial for the upcoming tour of Australia for Syd. He responded by taking 6 for 70 in this game and, despite the fact that he had only played six first class games for Warwickshire and Lancashire over the past seven years, MacLaren declared that Syd must go with his touring team. Part of the reason for Syd being selected related to a series of disputes between the counties and the MCC. Two of England's premier bowlers, George Hirst and Wilfred Rhodes, were both refused a release for the tour by their county Yorkshire. This opened the door for Syd to make his move from league cricket to the test arena.

Syd's form in the early first class games in Australia was impressive enough to guarantee his debut in the First Test in Sydney on the 13th of December, 1901. Syd was quite a late debutante, being twenty eight years old. This delay is undoubtedly due to Syd's decision to play League cricket rather than in the County arena, however financially it had been the only option available to him at the time. In this first game, Syd started off with a surprising score of 26 not out in England's first innings. Whilst never totally inept with the bat, Syd simply did not see it as his role to score runs for the side. When he had his chance to bowl, he wrecked the strong Australian top order with 5 for 65 off 35.1 overs. Australia had a number of very good batsmen such as Syd Gregory, Victor Trumper, Clem Hill, Monty Noble and Joe Darling, however England finished up winning by an innings and 124 runs. Syd improved on this in the Second Test in Melbourne, taking 6 for 42 and 7 for 121, a total of 13 for 163. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury early in the Third Test in Adelaide, he only bowled seven wicketless overs in the match and didn't play again on the tour. Syd finished his first test series with nineteen wickets at an average of 17.00.

Syd was described by even his teammates as a difficult character. He was hard on himself, but he applied the same exacting standards to his fellow players and also the captains he played under. In league cricket he was king, and his captains let him set the fields he liked. This same temperamental attitude in county cricket and for England undoubtedly cost him matches. The selectors at the time were aware of his considerable talents, but his personality and unwillingness to tow the line meant that he was a risky proposition from an establishment's point of view. This meant that he only played one more test match between 1902 and 1907. This game was against Australia in the third test of the 1902 series. Syd took 6 for 49 and 1 for 50, but he then was not chosen again for England until selected to make the 1907/08 tour of Australia. In the intervening years, Syd continued to play as a professional, however he parted company with Lancashire in 1903. He had requested that Lancashire find him some form of winter employment that could lead to a career following his cricket days. Lancashire did not comply with this request, and so he moved from Burnley to the Church Cricket Club in his birthplace of Staffordshire. Lord Hawke tried to induce him to tour with the English team to South Africa, however Syd had obtained a good job with a Staffordshire iron works and he declined as it would have jeopardized his employment.

Syd was finally restored to the England team for the 1907/08 tour of Australia. He played all five tests on this tour, taking 24 wickets at an average of 26.08. His best bowling performance was 7 for 60 in the fifth test at Sydney, however the highlight of the tour for Syd occurred in the Second Test at Melbourne that started on the 1st of January, 1908. Australia batted first and scored 266, with Syd taking 0 for 30. England replied with 382, before Australia scored 397 in their second innings, with Syd's figures 5 for 72. He bowled tirelessly, sending down nearly thirty overs. This was a timeless test, and finally finished on the sixth day. Chasing 282 to win, England had sunk to 8 for 209 and the game appeared gone. Batting at no. 9, Syd managed his highest test score of 38 not out and guided his tail-end partners through to a stunning one wicket victory. The game finished in an almost farcical situation. With scores tied and the last pair having already added 39, Barnes hit the ball into the covers and ran. The other batsman, Arthur Fielder, did not respond immediately and then set off forlornly, certain to be run out with the game ending in the first ever tie. Unfortunately for the cover fielder Gervys Hazlitt, the pressure got to him, throwing the ball wildly over the wicket-keeper Hanson Carter's head and the game was won for England. Wisden's description of this game involved an analysis of Syd's batting, stating that his efforts were 'to the astonishment of everyone concerned'.

Syd had established himself not only as England's best, but also laid clear claims to being the foremost bowler in the world. In spite of this, the selectors were still reluctant to risk playing the headstrong Syd. He was picked to play his second test match at home in 1909 against Australia, in the third game of the series. Syd took 1 for 37 and 6 for 63 to again underline his sublime abilities, and he was then picked for the final two tests of the series. He finished with 17 wickets at an average of 20.00.

Syd was by now an established test player, with selectors prepared for the time being to overlook his obstinate ways and his desire to play away from the County Championship. He played consistently for England from this point until 1914 when he was forty one years old. Syd toured Australia for the third time in 1911/12, taking 34 wickets in the five match series at an average of 22.88. In the Second Test at Melbourne, he overcame a severe bout of the 'flu prior to the game by sweating it out under numerous blankets with a bottle of whiskey for company. Syd made an astonishing start to this test, taking 4 wickets for 3 before lunch, and soon afterwards Australia lurched to 6 for 38 with Syd improving his figures to 5 for 6. England ended up winning the game on the back of Syd's efforts by eight wickets. Syd followed these performances in Australia in the six match Tri-angular test series in England against both Australia and South Africa in 1912. Syd took 39 wickets in the six games at the impressive average of 10.35. His best performance was 8 for 29 against South Africa at The Oval.

Syd's final series for England was in 1913/14, when he toured South Africa. This was the setting for probably the greatest bowling performance by any bowler ever in a series, taking 49 wickets in only four games at an average of 10.93. In the first test at Durban, Syd took 5 for 57 and 5 for 48. He performed even more impressively at Johannesburg, taking 8 for 56 and 9 for 103, resulting in the then best ever match figures of 17 for 159. The third test was again at Johannesburg, and Syd took 3 for 26 and 5 for 102. The fourth test was to prove Syd's last game for England, however he went out in style. He took 7 for 56 and 7 for 88 at Durban. There was a fifth test scheduled, and Syd was heading towards being the first bowler to ever take fifty wickets in a series. However Syd's difficult personality intruded, and he withdrew from the game following a dispute with the authorities regarding match payments and accommodation for his wife.

Syd never played test cricket again. Even if he had not been blackballed by the selectors for the disagreement in South Africa, the breakout of the Second World War ensured that Syd's test career was over after twenty seven tests. He took 189 wickets in these games at the average of 16.43. This remains the best average of any player during the twentieth century, and his strike rate of 41.6 is likewise foremost amongst players from 1900 onwards. Syd continued playing in his beloved minor cricket however, and indeed played his last first class game at 57 for Wales in 1930. Interestingly, Syd played only forty four games in the County Championship from 1895 to 1930; his international career involved more matches than this including tests and games for English touring sides in Australia and South Africa. At the age of 55, he played one final game against an international opponent, the touring West Indies. Even in his mid-fifties, the West Indian batsman rated him the best bowler they faced on the entire tour. Syd continued playing as a professional very successfully until his final game with Bridgnorth in Staffordshire at the age of 65. In this final season, Syd lead the competition's bowling statistics, taking 126 wickets at an average of 6.94.

Syd played his final recorded game of cricket for Stone in the Wartime Staffordshire League in 1940. Aged 67, he still managed to take 6 for 32 and 4 for 12 in a game against Great Chell, 5 for 43 against Leek and 5 for 22 against Caverswall. In 1951 Syd was awarded an honorary membership of the MCC and a commissioned portrait of him hangs in the Long Room at Lords next to W.G. Grace. Syd lived in Staffordshire until his death at the age of 94 on 26th of December, 1967.

Career Statistics

Test Matches

From 1901 until 1914, Syd played in 27 test matches. He took a total of 189 wickets at an average of 16.43, with a strike rate of a wicket every 41.6 balls. His best bowling figures were 9 for 103. He also scored 242 runs at an average of 8.06, with a highest score of 38 not out.

First Class Games

In his 133 first class games, Syd took 719 wickets at an average of 17.09. He took five wickets in an innings sixty eight times and eighteen times took ten wickets in the match. Syd also scored 1573 runs at an average of 12.78, with a highest score of 93.

Minor County Cricket and League Cricket

Syd spent the majority of his life as a professional cricketer in minor county and league cricket, taking 4069 wickets in total, with 1437 wickets coming for Staffordshire at an average of 8.10. Combining all of his cricket career statistics reveals a total of 6225 wickets at an average of 8.31.

The Myth of Sunil Gavaskar and the West Indies Quicks

Sunny Gavaskar is, without doubt, one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. Gavaskar is a true legend of the game. His technique was near faultless, and when combined with limitless patience, you had the mould for the perfect opening batsman. Gavaskar’s test career saw a total of 10122 runs at an average of 51.12, with an astounding 34 test centuries.

Gavaskar retired from test cricket in 1987, and therefore his era would appear to almost completely coincide with the great Windies bowling lineups of the late 70s and 80s. In 27 tests against the West Indies, Gavaskar scored an almost unbelievable 2749 runs at an average of 65.45, with an astonishing 13 centuries. These statistics are often used by fans and supporters to underline his claims as the greatest opening batsman of all-time. However, one of the great myths that has grown up about Gavaskar is his amazing dominance of the otherwise unconquered West Indian four pronged pace battery that these statistics would suggest. If you break down the actual series that he played, Gavaskar’s record doesn’t quite look as impressive as a first glance would indicate.

Gavaskar made his debut for India against the West Indies on the 6th of March, 1971 at Port of Spain. He played four tests, and finished the series with an impressive total of 774 runs at the astronomical average of 154.80 with four centuries. During this series, the West Indies were in a state of change. The leading pacemen of the 60s including Hall, Griffith and Gilchrist had all played their final test. The Windies bowling attack was dominated by spin, with Lance Gibbs well on his way to passing Fred Trueman as the leading test wicket-taker. The fast bowlers that Gavaskar faced during this series were Keith Boyce, Grayson Shillingford, Vanburn Holder and Uton Dowe (he of the 11th Commandment – Dowe shall not bowl). The other medium paced bowlers used included Gary Sobers and John Shepard. With all due respect to the bowlers of the time, it was hardly an attack to cause significant concerns to a player of Gavaskar’s obvious skill.

Gavaskar only played two tests of the 1974/75 home series against the West Indies. He struggled, scoring 108 runs at an average of just 27. The quick bowlers he faced in this series included a young Andy Roberts, and the medium paced Holder, Boyce and left armer Bernard Julien. Gavaskar’s next series against the West Indies was again away from home in 1975/76. Gavaskar again batted beautifully, scoring 390 runs at 55.71, with another two centuries. By this time, the Windies fast bowling battery was just starting to take form. The first two Tests saw Gavaskar opening the batting against genuine quicks Michael Holding and Andy Roberts. In support was swing bowler Julien, and spinners Holford and Jumadeen. After disappointing initially with 37 and 1 in the First Test, Gavaskar did score a wonderful 156 in the second. The Third and Fourth Tests saw no Andy Roberts, with Michael Holding in his second series as a Windies player supported by Wayne Daniel, Holder, Julien, Jumadeen, Albert Padmore and Imtiaz Ali. There was not yet any sign of the four pronged pace attack that would soon dominate the cricket world.

The West Indies then toured India in 1978/79. This tour was in the middle of the Packer years, and the West Indies bowling attack was decimated. Rather than facing Holding, Roberts, Garner and Croft, Gavaskar opened the batting in the First Test against the legendary Norbert Phillip, his old nemesis Vanburn Holder, and Sylvester Clarke. The Windies attack again had reverted to spin, with Derek Parry and Jumadeen both playing. Gavaskar again gorged himself, scoring 732 runs at 91.50, with another 4 centuries. A very young Malcolm Marshall made his debut during this very high scoring six test series that India won 1-0, with five draws.

Gavaskar’s second last series against the Windies was away in 1982/83. He scored 240 runs at an average of 30, with one century. Against the full might of the Windies four quicks (Holding, Roberts, Garner and Marshall), he scored 20 and 0 in the First Test, 1 and 32 in the Second, a very good 147 not out in the Third (which was badly affected by weather and India didn’t even finish their first innings), 2 and 19 in the Fourth, and 18 and 1 in the Fifth. This was the first time Gavaskar had played against all of the Windies quicks, and he clearly struggled.

In 1983/84, Gavaskar played the Windies for the last time. This series was at home, and the bowling attack was weakened by the absence of Garner. In the first test, the Windies fielding four quicks, but whilst Holding and Marshall were genuinely fast, neither Eldine Baptiste or Winston Davis really threatened. Gavaskar started poorly with 0 and 7 in the First Test, before finding some form with 121 and 15 in the Second, and 90 and 1 in the Third. 12, 3, 0 and 20 were his scores in the next two tests, before Gavaskar played one of his great knocks. In the final test, he dropped himself down the order to no. 4, with Gaekwad and Sidhu opening. The fact that Malcolm Marshall took two wickets without a run being scored meant that Gavaskar may as well have opened anyway. Gavaskar proceeded to totally dominate the Windies attack and scored a wonderful 236 not out. This was a fantastic innings, and underlined why Gavaskar is a great. There is a wonderful account of this innings at http://tcwj.blogspot.com/2007/10/29.html that is highly recommended reading. Unfortunately, his previous failures in the series were effectively covered up by this large unbeaten double century.

When you examine the record of Gavaskar against the West Indies, it is clear that only the final three centuries were actually scored against an attack that resembled the fearsome Windies pace barrage that we remember. A large percentage of his runs were accumulated in two series against very much weakened bowling attacks. As a consequence of factors outside of his control, Gavaskar didn’t play against the Windies full strength team between 1975/76 and 1982/83. This analysis is not to decry Gavaskar – he is a legend of the game and deserves ultimate respect for what he has achieved. He could, after all, not control who he played against. A very strong argument can be made that Gavaskar should be considered of the best few opening batsmen in the history of the game. However, the claims made by some supporters that he is the greatest opener of all-time based solely on his record against the Windies is one that simply does not hold up to closer scrutiny.

Player Profile - Colin Bland

Around many a bar or kitchen table cricket lovers debate who is the best batsman in the world, the greatest all-rounder, the top spinner and so on. Sometimes the discussions turn to fielding, and the name of Colin Bland is regularly brought up. Bland’s reputation as a cover fielder was such that he almost solely remembered in this capacity. The fact that his fielding remains the primary legacy of his test career is perhaps a shame, as Bland was also a very good batsman. Nonetheless, it does underline what a magnificent fielder he was, as a Test average of nearly 49.06 places him near the elite level for international batsmen.

Christened Kenneth Colin Bland, but always called by his middle name, Colin was born on the 5th of April, 1938 in Bulawayo, Rhodesia. Now known as Zimbabwe, at that time of Colin’s birth Rhodesia was a region of Africa being composed of both modern day Zimbabwe (then known as Southern Rhodesia) and Zambia (then called Northern Rhodesia). Southern Rhodesia was a self-governing British colony, and aligned itself to nearby South Africa with respect to most sporting activities.

Colin grew up in Bulawayo, the second largest city in Rhodesia. At school, he quickly showed his physical prowess in all sports. Colin revealed a particular talent for ball sports, and excelled as a youngster in cricket, rugby and hockey. He was selected to represent Rhodesia Schools in all three sports at a schoolboy level, and played in the Nuffield Cricket Week tournament in South Africa. His performances as a batsman and medium pace bowler were sufficient to gain him a place in the South African Schools team in his final year.

Near the end of his final year of school, Colin was selected to make his first-class debut in cricket for Rhodesia against the touring M.C.C. side. Colin was picked solely as a batsman in this game, and largely for the experience it would give him before playing domestically in the South African Currie Cup competition. However, he was forced to make a career defining choice at this point of his life. Colin’s rugby skills had been widely recognized, and he had been offered a football scholarship to attend the famous Stellenbosch University. Cricket had been Colin’s first love, and he made the decision to make it his chosen sport.

Colin’s debut match was against the M.C.C., and took place at Salisbury Sports Club on the 23rd, 24th, 25th of November 1956. Colin had plenty of opportunities to show-off his fielding skills during the M.C.C. innings, as they totaled 501, with Peter May making a double century. While he was listed to bat at no. 7, Colin didn’t have long to wait to make his entrance. After losing their first wicket with one run on the board, Rhodesia had progressed steadily to seven, whereupon they lost their next four wickets without adding another run. The sheer pace of Frank Tyson and Peter Loader was proving too much for the Rhodesian players, and soon after Colin arrived at the wicket, they were reduced to 6 for 11. Colin, however, in his debut first class innings, was the only batsman to stand up to the English quicks. He top scored with 19 in Rhodesia’s pitiful total of just 57. With a first innings lead of nearly 450, Peter May must have deliberated long and hard before deciding to enforce the follow-on. Rhodesia’s second attempt was better than their first, but they were still 5 for 47 when Colin went out for his second knock. He again top scored for his side, this time with 38 in Rhodesia’s total of 157. There are not many batsman, and certainly even less 18 year old ones, that can boast top scoring in each innings of their first class debut. In spite of Colin’s efforts, Rhodesia lost by the small margin of an innings and 292 runs.

Colin’s performance won him selection in the Rhodesian team to play against Transvaal in the Currie Cup at the New Wanders Stadium in Johannesburg from the 18th to 21st of January, 1957. Transvaal won the toss and batted first, making 417 largely on the back of the stalwart South African batsman Russell Endean’s 171. In reply, Rhodesia made 212. Again batting at no. 7 Colin made 18 before falling to the part-time leggies of Alastair Taylor. Forced to follow-on, Rhodesia managed to bat out the remainder of the three day game, with Colin coming to the wicket in the final over of the match and he remained 0 not out.

Instead of attending Stellenbosch University, Colin choose Rhodes University at Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. His attendance there led to his third first class game, this time for the combined South African Universities against the North Eastern Transvaal team. This match was played at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on 7th, 9th, 10th of December 1957. North Eastern Transvaal won the toss and batted, however, they were bowled out for only 172. Colin came out to bat with South African Universities at 3 for 48. He responded by scoring his initial first class century, finishing with 131 out of the team total of 8 declared for 293. The second top score with just 45 was Peter van der Merwe, who would later go on to captain South Africa in Test matches and also become an ICC match referee. North Eastern Transvaal folded in their second innings for just 122, and South African Universities scored the necessary 3 runs to complete a ten wicket victory.

Colin continued to play for both Rhodesia and South African Universities over the following three seasons. He moved up to no. 4 or no. 5 in the batting lineup, but only met with limited success. It wasn’t until South African Universities played Western Province that Colin scored his second century. The match was played at the Newlands Ground at Capetown from the 3rd to 6th of December, 1960. Colin was by now the captain of the Universities team, and after winning the toss, he scored 124 out of his side’s total of 421. A young Eddie Barlow was also in the Universities side, however, he failed with the bat by scoring only 7. Colin was bowling his right arm medium pacers more often, and he opened the bowling for Universities. He failed to take a wicket in either innings, but it was irrelevant as the other bowlers knocked Western Province over for only 89 and 234 to leave South African Universities the winners by an innings and 98 runs.

When Colin followed his century against Western Province with an unbeaten 130 a few games later for Rhodesia against Griqualand West in early January 1961, his name was started to be considered for national honours with South Africa. His stylish batting was characterized by strong front foot driving, with a penchant to hit the quicker bowlers back down the ground in the air. His medium paced bowling was seen as a useful backup to his batting, and his fielding was starting to gain widespread notice. The South African selectors picked him to tour England with an unofficial team called the South Africa Fezelas under the leadership of Roy McLean. This touring party was later viewed as the starting point of South Africa’s journey to world cricket supremacy. There were eight future Test players in the Fezelas, with four becoming long term test players. In addition to Colin Bland, the touring party also included Eddie Barlow, Peter Pollock and Denis Lindsay. Colin failed to impress with the bat on the tour and didn’t bowl, but he was in the selectors’ mind for national duty.

The New Zealand team toured South Africa in the 1961/62 season, and they commenced their trip through Africa with two first class games against Rhodesia. This opportunity provided Colin with the chance he needed to show his potential at the higher level. In the first match at his home ground at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on 21st, 22nd and 23rd of October 1961, he scored 91 and 45, and he followed that up with 67 and at the 58 Police A Ground, Salisbury on 28th, 29th and 30th October of 1961. The South African selectors were looking to rebuild the Springbok team, and Colin’s scores were good enough to win him a place in the lineup. Their decision was based more upon potential than performance, but they had seen enough to know that Colin was of international standard as a batsman.

Colin made his test debut for South Africa against New Zealand at the Kingsmead Ground in Durban on the 8th of December 1961. South African captain John Waite won the toss and chose to bat on a difficult pitch. South Africa totaled 292, largely thanks to experienced opener Jackie McGlew who made 127. Coming in at no. 5, Colin made 5 before being caught off Frank Cameron. New Zealand replied with 245. The South Africans struggled in their second innings, making only 149. Waite made 63, and Colin scored a valuable 30, with no-one else passing 15. New Zealand only made 166, to lose by 30 runs.

Colin had done enough to maintain his place for the Second Test at Johannesburg, which was drawn. Colin struggled again, scoring 0 and 24 in his two innings. The Third Test at Capetown saw New Zealand win by 72 runs. Colin made two useful contributions with the bat, with scores of 32 and 42. He also took his first test catch, Zin Harris. Colin’s fielding was gaining rave reviews from those who saw him, and it was stated that even in his early Tests, spectators would specifically watch to see his fielding in the covers.

The series was now tied at 1 match all. The Fourth Test back at Johannesburg saw South Africa triumph by an innings and 51 runs. Colin made another start, scoring 28 in a batting lineup that almost all contributed to the total of 464. New Zealand fought back to win the Fifth Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth by 40 runs. Colin again made starts in both innings, scoring 12 and 32, but it wasn’t enough to prevent New Zealand squaring the series at two tests all.

In March 1962, Colin was selected to play against a Pakistan team for an invitational International XI that was touring the world. He was asked to join this team after it had played two games against Rhodesia. While Colin had batted well without pushing on to a century in either match, his fielding had gained the notice of the International XI. Some of his teammates for the match against the East Pakistan Governor’s XI included Test players Colin McDonald, Roy Marshall, Everton Weeks, Ray Lindwall, Tom Graveney and the great Indian leg-spinner “Fergie” Gupte. After the East Pakistan team had declared at 5-385, Colin performed well for the International XI, top-scoring with 89 from the no. 3 position in a drawn result.

In spite of his average beginnings, and some indifferent form for Rhodesia, Colin was chosen for South Africa’s next international series, the 1963/64 tour of Australia and New Zealand. The lead-up games produced a poor sequence of scores of 3 and 10 not out against Western Australia, 27 and 15 against South Australia, 0 and 40 against an Australian XI, 14 against New South Wales, 52 not out against Tasmania, and 11 against a Tasmanian Combined XI. The failure to score heavily meant that Colin was left out of the First Test team to play at Brisbane. While this match was drawn, Colin was brought back into the team for the New Years Day Second Test at the M.C.G. Australia won by 8 wickets, but Colin made solid contributions to the losing team with 50 and 22.

Colin had started to find his timing on the faster and bouncy Australian wickets, and played well in the drawn Third Test at Sydney. He scored 51 in this first innings, and then held South Africa together with 85 to help his team to a draw. The Fourth Test at Adelaide was won by South Africa by 10 wickets. Colin’s score of 33 was well and truly overshadowed by Eddie Barlow’s 201 and Graeme Pollock’s 175.

Colin had started gaining a reputation in South Africa as a batsman who could make a quick 50, but struggled to go on with it. His scores in the series underlined this point, but he managed to turn this around in the Fifth Test in Sydney. This match, which started on the 7th of February 1964, saw Colin score his first test century, a graceful 126 out of South Africa’s total of 411. It wasn’t enough to force a result, with this match also ending in a draw. South Africa had performed very creditably on this tour, and it was signs of things to come for the team over the next five years.

His century in Sydney now firmly established Colin in the South African middle order. The team moved onto New Zealand for the second stage of their tour. The First Test at the Basin Reserve, Wellington on 21st, 22nd, 24th and 25th of February 1964 finished in a draw. South Africa made most of the running in the game on a very slow and unresponsive pitch. The game had started on schedule, in spite of anti-apartheid demonstrators attempts to damage the pitch. Colin scored 40 in the first innings, and a very quick 46 not out in 47 minutes in the second innings with captain Trevor Goddard looking to make a declaration. The weather affected Second Test at Carisbrook also ended in a draw. Late on the final day, South Africa were set 65 to win in only 27 minutes. After only scoring 1 in the first innings, Colin was promoted to open in the mad run chase. He scored 16 not out, with South Africa falling just short, making 3 for 42 off the 7 overs available to them.

The English M.C.C. team toured South Africa in 1964/65. South Africa were soundly beaten in the First Test at Durban on the 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th of December 1964. In response to England’s 485, Colin scored 26 in South Africa’s team total of just 155. Forced to follow-on, South Africa did little better, making only 226. Colin again showed his value with the bat, top scoring with 68.

The Second Test at the New Wanderers Ground finished in a draw. England again batted first, making another huge total of 531. South Africa again failed to make the follow-on mark, being bowled out for 317 with Colin making another disappointing 29. The early criticism of him failing to make the most of his regular starts was starting to reappear. Colin responded in the best way possible by making a magnificent fighting 144 not out in just over 6 hours, helping South Africa to draw the game. The Third and Fourth Tests were both also draws. Colin continued his good form with 78 and 64 at Newlands, and 55 and 38 not out at Johannesburg.

Colin’s fielding prowess was becoming well known. Less well known was the hours and hours of practice he put it to get to that level. Colin setup a spring loaded stump in front of a hockey goal at the family farm. He would then stand about 30 metres away, and have his family and farm workers throw balls in all directions for him to chase down and throw at the single stump. During practice he used a single stump as his target, as this was often all he could aim at from his place in the covers or mid-wicket.

South Africa’s next test series was a return tour of England in 1965. The First Test at Lords on 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 26th and 27th of July 1965 is seen as the point at which Colin’s legend as a fielder was recognised world wide. Colin’s old University teammate, Peter van der Merwe, was by now the Springbok captain, and he won the toss and batted first. South Africa made 280, with contributions all down the order. Colin made 39 before falling to the wily off-spinner Fred Titmus. England responded with 338, but the innings was notable for the runouts of Ken Barrington and Jim Parks. Barrington was on 91 when he went for a single to midwicket. Running in towards the keeper, Bland hit the stumps at the bowlers’ end, throwing it back over his shoulder. At that stage, England were going along very well at 4 for 240, just 40 runs behind South Africa and Barrington set for a large 100. This effort by Colin was generally regarded as one of the finest pieces of fielding seen at Lords, but he repeated it later on in the day to run out Parks in a similar manner. England were bowled out with a lead of only 58, and were left struggling to prevent defeat with their score at 7 for 145 when the game ended. These two pieces of magic are now considered the turning point in the series. While the First Test had ended in a draw, the English players became very wary of any ball hit in the vicinity of Bland for the remaining Tests. The South Africa players were also lifted by this exhibition, and they approached the rest of the series with renewed confidence. Colin’s personal confidence with the bat was also high, having top scored with a fluent 70 in South Africa’s second dig.

South Africa won the Second Test at Trent Bridge by 94 runs. Colin only scored 1 and 10 on a difficult pitch that neither team could pass 300. This left South Africa in the position to win the three match series against England, if they could either draw or win the final Test at the Oval on 26th, 27th, 28th, 30th and 31st of August 1965. English captain Mike Smith won the toss and chose to field on another difficult pitch. South Africa made 208, with Colin scoring 39 and ‘Tiger’ Lance 69. England failed to match this, making only 202. The pitch had started to flatten out, and South Africa tried to bat England out of the game. Colin made his third test century, scoring 127 in 276 minutes with 16 boundaries. South Africa finished with 392, and England were nearly 100 short of victory when the game finished in a draw. South Africa had their only test series win over England after World War II, and Colin was considered one of the stars of the team with both bat and in the field.

Colin was tired after his efforts against England, and after beginning the year in reasonable form, made the decision to stand down from the Rhodesian side during the 1965/66 home season in order to prepare himself fully for the upcoming tour by the Australians in 1966/67. He returned to the team for the following season, and was an automatic selection for South Africa.

Sadly though for Colin, the First Test against Australia at the New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on 23rd, 24th, 26th, 27th and 28th of December 1966 was destined to be his last. South Africa batted first and made only 199, with Colin falling lbw to McKenzie for a duck. Australia responded with 325, before the might of the South African batting made 620. Colin’s final test innings was 32, being dismissed to the part-time leg spin of Ian Chappell. South Africa dismissed Australia for only 261 to win by 233 runs, but tragically Colin crashed into the boundary fence chasing a ball and badly damaged his left knee. He was forced out of the remainder of the series, and despite making a comeback for Rhodesia, he never again regained his previous mobility and he officially retired from Test cricket.

Ironically, many South African fans believe his best batting performance actually came after his retirement, when Colin scored 197 in a match for Rhodesia against Border at the Jan Smuts Ground, East London on the 30th of December 1967 and the 1st, 2nd of January 1968. On a very sub-standard pitch, Colin’s quickfire innings setup his side for a victory when all other batsmen were struggling with their timing on a very slow surface. The knee injury meant that Colin could no longer prowl the covers, but he showed his all-round fielding ability by becoming an excellent slips fielder.

Colin’s fielding genius is still well remembered, with his captains often using him as an offensive weapon. His captains would often set the mid-off deeper than normal, encouraging the batsmen to try and sneak a single. Colin would be alert and cut across from his position in the covers and throw down the stumps at the bowlers’ end. Colin’s expertise in the field is still well recognized today, and in 2004 he was hired by the M.C.C. Cricket School to provide fielding coaching to the best young cricketers in England.

Career Statistics

Test Matches

From 1961/62 until 1966/67, Colin played in 21 test matches. He scored 1669 runs at an average of 49.08, with 3 centuries, 9 fifties and a highest score of 144 not out. He also took two wickets at an average of 62.50. His best bowling figures were 2 for 16. He took 10 catches in his test career, but the number of run-outs he was involved in is not recorded.

First Class Games

In his 133 first class games, Colin scored 7249 runs at an average of 37.95, with 13 centuries and a top score of 197. He also took 43 wickets at an average of 35.27, with a best bowling of 4 for 40. Colin took 51 catches.

Book Review - Cradle Days of Australian Cricket

Australian cricket has a history going back almost to the start of the colony. The earliest recorded match occurred on the 8th of January 1803, when a game of cricket was played between officers and crew of the MHS Calcutta on a field that is now Hyde Park. Much of the information and knowledge we now have regarding players and techniques of the early eras are drawn from newspapers of the day. Brian Crowley and Pat Mullins have put together a fine collection of the writings in The Australasian by 'Felix', the pseudonym of Tom Horan, into the book “Cradle Days of Australian Cricket”.

Tom Horan was a cricketer of not inconsiderable skill himself; indeed he was a member of the Australian team that were victorious in the first ever test in March 1877. Horan also toured England, and had in-depth knowledge of all the leading players of the time such as Spofforth, the Gregorys, Murdoch and many others. Horan commenced writing for The Australasian in 1879 whilst he was still playing the game competitively, and continued right through until 1916. His weekly review of cricket, entitled ‘Cricket Chapter’, had a strong and loyal following amongst the readers. Horan was, contrary to our current expectations of ex-cricketers turning to the media, a fine writer who displayed an ability to both describe the drama of the moment and also the technical skills that underpin the game.

“Cradle Days of Australian Cricket” is a fascinating wander through the past of our great game, and provides a wonderful insight into the development of cricket within Australia. The observations of the players are memorable, and provide some additional understanding of what would otherwise simply be names from the distant past. One slight downside the book is the fact that collection doesn’t necessarily flow sequentially together. Whilst this problem is naturally inherent within any collection of disparate pieces, it does distract a little from the overall experience, and other collections have managed to overcome this difficulty more easily. Putting this slight criticism aside, any serious fan of cricket would be well advised to track down a copy.

Society, hypocrisy and drug use

A question struck me the other day while watching the news; why are sport stars condemned for using illegal non-performance enhancing drugs, but musicians and artists celebrated for it?

The news had a novelty piece basically lauding Ozzy Osbourne for his many years of drug abuse that has addled his brain so badly he doesn’t know who he is anymore. The next article was a savage attack upon a sportsman who had the temerity to be caught with illicit drugs. The two newsreaders severely criticized the sportsman, primarily because they felt he was such an important role model to so many young people. It was a fantastic example of double standards, but I’m not sure why it is this way in our society.

Why is there such an amazing level of hypocrisy here? Why are some musicians almost worshipped for their abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol, but sportsmen are somehow expected to maintain a perfect existence? Bon Scott has achieved legend status in many parts of the music world, having died of alcohol and drug poisoning. The whole “Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll” lifestyle is often glamorized by the media, and successfully played up to by rock stars. At the same time, sportsmen are sacked from their jobs for often quite minor offenses, and the media crucify them. Why do we, as a society, seem to accept these differing standards?

Cricket Australia is in the process of finalizing its drug testing protocols in relation to non-performance enhancing illicit drugs. It will be interesting to see what the final version looks like. I fully accept and support the necessity to test for performance enhancing drug use. There is no doubt that public figures should not be seen to be promoting illegal activities, but I fail to understand why sportsmen are subject to testing for non-performance enhancing drugs. If we are going to test certain sections of the community for illicit drug use, then random testing should be considered similarly appropriate for our journalists, politicians, judges, police, teachers, musicians and so on.

I must conclude by admitting that I have never taken illicit drugs myself, and have never had any desire to do so. But to pick one section of society such as sportsmen and apply different standards to them strikes me as immensely hypocritical.

Player Profile - Roy Gilchrist

After a brief diversion with my cricketing diary, I thought I would get back on track with the historical stuff that interests me. So I'll start with a profile on Roy Gilchrist.

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At the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest recorded ball in the history of cricket. The sixth and final ball of his second over was bowled at Nick Knight, and was recorded at 161.3km/h or 100.2mph. This remains the fastest ball ever recorded, and would seem to give Shoaib some claim as the fastest bowler of all time. However, speed testing of fast bowlers is a very recent development, and many other players over history would also be able to make a reasonable case to be considered amongst the fastest bowlers of all time. Any list of fast bowlers will undoubtedly be extensive, and open to intense debate. Names such as Charles Kortright and Tibby Cotter who were both pre WWI, Jack Gregory, Harold Larwood and Learie Constantine who played between the wars, and then the multitude of quickies since then including Frank Tyson, Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Jeff Thompson and Michael Holding are often brought up. One of the more interesting characters included in this elite pace company is a relatively unknown West Indian called Roy Gilchrist, a player whose test career was over by age 24 and his place in cricket history clouded by both on and off-field indiscretions.

Roy was born on the 28th of June 1934 in Seaforth, Saint Thomas in Jamaica. He was the child of farm labourers, and grew up on a sugar plantation. The Great Depression had cast its cloud across much of the world, and had caused sugar prices to slump. Roy’s early childhood in Jamaica was characterised by widespread social discontent as the result of significant unemployment, pitiful wages, high prices, and appalling living conditions. It is clear that Roy undoubtedly grew into adulthood with a limited education and significant hardship. Michael Manley, a trade union leader and Jamaican Prime Minister, described Roy as being “burdened by those tensions which so often run like scars across the landscape of the personalities of people who come from poverty.” These factors undoubtedly were highly influential in Roy’s psychological journey into adulthood. Even as he started to make a name for himself as an exceptionally fast bowler, rumours of conflict with other players and team-mates started to surface.

Roy didn’t fit the prototype physique of fast bowlers, being quite short at about five foot eight inches tall and not being incredibly strong. He did, however, possess unusually long arms and his action made good use of this asset. Roy ran into the wicket at high speed, before unwinding with a high arm action. Roy’s natural pace and bounce saw him selected as a teenager to play for Serge Island in the sugar estates competition. His bowling was very erratic and wild, however, his obvious potential was clear to both opposing batsmen and the selectors.

Roy was soon picked for the Wembley Club that played in the Jamaican domestic cricket competition, the Senior Cup. His progress through the ranks then slowed, and it took him three more seasons before the selectors were prepared to pick him for the full-strength Jamaican team. Cricket in the West Indies in the 1950s was rife with racism and bias. The membership of most clubs were predominantly upper class whites, and players like Roy struggled for recognition. The captain the teams were always white, and any empathy or understanding of Roy’s situation in life was unlikely. Nonetheless, his performances were such that the Island selectors were compelled to choose Roy to make his first class debut at the age of 22.

Roy was first picked to represent Jamaica in a match at Bourda in Georgetown against the British Guiana in the Quadrangular Tournament on 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th of October 1956. His captain, Alfred Binns, gave him the new ball as British Guiana had first use of the wicket. On what would undoubtedly appear to be a flat wicket, British Guiana declared their first innings closed at 5 for 601, with four batsmen passing their century. Roy took a quite creditable 3 for 129 off nearly 40 overs. He was supported by his teammate, the great Alf Valentine, who bowled a mammoth 90.5 overs of his left arm orthodox in finishing with figures of 2 for 165. Jamaica replied with 469, and the match ended in a tame draw.

Roy’s next three matches for Jamaica were in March of 1957 against a touring Duke of Norfolk’s XI. In the first game at Sabina Park, Roy took his first five wicket bag for Jamaica, with 5 for 110 off 29.2 overs. He followed this with 1 for 53 in the Duke’s XI’s second innings. The next two matches against the Duke’s XI resulted in Roy returning the less than impressive figures of 2 for 63 and 1 for 64 in the second game, and 1 for 83 and 1 for 87 in the third. However, Roy must have shown considerable promise in this series of three matches, as he was picked to represent the West Indies on their 1957 tour of England.

Roy was still very young and inexperienced, and selection on the tour of England was clearly unexpected. At that point of West Indian history, the captain was still always a white man, in this case John Goddard. Roy was not familiar with protocol and the expectations of players representing their country, and there were again rumours of inappropriate behaviour by Roy on this tour. Roy played in three lead-up games against Northhamptonshire, Essex and the M.C.C., however, in spite of only taking one wicket in five innings, Roy was selected to make his Test debut against England in the First Test at Edgbaston on the 30th and 31st May, and the 1st, 3rd and 4th of June 1957.

Unlike previous eras, and certainly later ones, the West Indies bowling attack of 1957 was built around the joint spin attack of Ramadhin and Valentine. Roy was the sole pace bowler chosen for the Test matches, receiving medium paced support from the all-rounders Frank Worrell, Denis Atkinson and Gary Sobers. English captain Peter May won the toss in the First Test and chose to bat first. Frank Worrell bowled the first over, with Roy sharing the new ball. Roy took 2 for 74, however, the star for the West Indies was Ramadhin with 7 for 49 in England’s total of just 186. The West Indies made 474 in reply, with Roy being run out for a duck in his first test innings. England then posted a massive 4 for 583, with Peter May finishing on 285 not out. Roy bowled reasonably well in all the carnage, taking 1 for 67 off 26 overs. Atkinson, with 72 overs, and Ramadhin, with 98 overs, carried most of the load. The match ended in a draw, but not before the West Indies collapsed. Stumps on day five saw the West Indies struggling to avoid defeat at 7 for 72.

The four Test series was won by England two to nil, with victories in the Second Test at Lords by an innings and 36 runs and the Fourth Test at Headingly by an innings and 5 runs. The Third Test at Trent Bridge was drawn. Gilchrist produced some very quicks spells at times, however, his inaccuracy cost him. He took 4-115 at Lords, but 0 for 118 and 1 for 21 at Trent Bridge and 2 for 71 at Headingley. By the end of the tour, Roy had played more games for the West Indies than he had for Jamaica. Roy had shown some of his best form in the other tour matches, with a fine double of 5 for 41 and 2 for 27 against Derbyshire, and also 5 for 33 against Somerset.

The West Indies team returned home, with their next international series against the touring Pakistan side in 1958. Roy did not play another first class game after leaving England in September 1957 until the First Test against Pakistan, which started on the 17th of January 1958. While he had only taken ten wickets against England, Roy’s performances were sufficiently impressive to make him an automatic choice for the First Test. After the West Indies had scored an impressive 579, Roy bowled with impressive speed to take 4 for 32 in the rout of Pakistan for just 106. Another white man, Gerry Alexander, had taken over the captaincy of the West Indies, and he had little hesitation in enforcing the follow-on. Hanif Mohammad then produced one of the finest match saving innings of all time, scoring 337 in 970 minutes. Roy took 1 for 121, Pakistan totaled 657, and the match was drawn. The West Indies won the Second Test at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain by 120 runs. Roy contributed strongly to the victory, taking 3 for 67 and 4 for 61. He made the early breakthrough for the home side in both innings, bowling the Pakistan opener Alimuddin twice for 9 and 0.

The Third Test at Sabina Park was also won by the West Indies, by an innings and 174 runs. Roy took 2 for 106 in Pakistan’s first innings total of 328. Pakistan probably would have been slightly disappointed that they didn’t get closer to 400, however, their disappointment quickly turned to absolute dismay as the West Indies piled on 3 declared for 790. This amazing total is largely remembered for Gary Sobers world record score of 365 not out, but few people now remember that Conrad Hunte was run out for 260 in the same innings, and was himself on track to break Len Hutton’s record score of 364. The game was effectively over when Alexander declared, and Roy took 1 for 65 in Pakistan’s second innings effort of just 288. The West Indies finished the series with another win at the Bourda Ground in Georgetown, being victorious by eight wickets. Roy took 4 for 102 and 2 for 66. The Fifth Test back at Queen’s Park Oval saw a major turnaround in form, with Pakistan winning by an innings and 1 run. Roy only bowled 7 overs in the game, and failed to take a wicket.

While Roy concluded the five Tests with 21 wickets at the fairly expensive average of 30.28, his pace had clearly unsettled many of the Pakistan batsmen, even on very dead pitches. His bowling was still erratic, and could be expensive, but there was no denying he had the sheer pace can defeat even the greatest players. Pakistan’s leading batsman, the great Hanif, admitted years later that the pace of Roy had scared him at times, saying “I live to this day the fear of a thunderbolt from Roy Gilchrist during that much celebrated visit to the West Indies in 1958.” Hanif recounted one particular delivery that just whistled past his nose, recalling “that delivery still sends shivers down my spine”.

The Fifth Test against Pakistan finished on the 31st of March, 1958, and Roy didn’t play another first class game for nearly eight months, when he was chosen for the back to back tours of India and Pakistan to being in November, 1958. Roy performed well in three leadup games to the First Test against India, but there were no real signs of what was to come. The West Indian selectors had paired Gilchrist up with another young fast bowler by the name of Wes Hall, and in this series, the two of them would become possibly the fastest bowling combinations of all-time.

The First Test at the Brabourne Stadium, Bombay on the 28th, 29th, and 30th of November, and the 2nd and 3rd of December 1958 finished in a draw. Gilchrist took 4 for 39 and 2 for 75, but his performances in this First Test are now better remembered for the emergence of a new delivery. The pitches in India were very low and slow, and Roy found them unproductive to bouncers. Roy decided, in his own manner, that the natural way to counteract this lack of bounce was not to have the ball bounce at all. The occasional ‘beamer’ happens to all bowlers, and generally is accidental. Roy’s beamers were neither occasional nor accidental. His comment was “I have searched the rule books, and there is not a word in any of them that says a fellow cannot bowl a fast full-toss at a batsman. A batsman has a bat and they should get the treatment they deserve”. India managed to draw the First Test, in spite of the beamers by Roy, largely due to a fine defensive innings of 90 by Pankaj Roy in 444 minutes.

The West Indian captain Gerry Alexander was evidently horrified by Roy’s deliberate beamers. Roy was ordered to stop bowling them, as Alexander considered them too dangerous to the batsmen’s health. Conflict between the bowler and captain, which had been simmering over the past year, started to come to a head after the game. Roy swore at Alexander, and Alexander demanded an immediate apology. Roy refused to do so, and Alexander told Roy that his tour was over and that he was to return to the West Indies. A delegation of the younger players, including Wes Hall, approached Alexander and requested that Roy be forgiven for his misdemeanor. Alexander agreed to this, however, Roy was warned that any future infractions would result in his immediate sacking. Roy was dropped from the Second Test in response to this episode, however, the reason given officially was that he had pulled a hamstring.

The West Indies won the Second Test, in spite of Roy’s absence, with Wes Hall taking eleven wickets in the match. Roy returned to the West Indies team for a match against Indian Universities, and promptly destroyed the students. He took 6 for 16 in the Universities total of just 49, and then hardly bowled in the second innings as the West Indies cruised to an innings victory. It was hard to leave him out of the team after a performance like that, and Roy returned to the West Indian team to share the new ball with Hall in the Third Test.

The Third Test at Eden Gardens in Calcutta saw the West Indies win by the small margin of an innings and 336 runs. After batting first and making 5 declared for 614, the West Indies bowled out India for 124 and 154. Roy took 3 for 18 and 6 for 55, and with Hall also taking three wickets in each innings, it was becoming clear that many of the Indian players had no wish to face either of the West Indian quick bowlers.

The Indian team had almost collapsed into chaos by the time of the Fourth Test. The captain in the previous three tests, Ghulam Ahmed, retired from all forms of cricket two days after the side had been announced. Polly Umrigar, who had been playing test cricket for a decade, was asked to take over to lead his country. Unfortunately, he had a fight with the selectors over the makeup of the team on the morning of the match, and he also quit. The great all-rounder, Vinoo Mankad, who is now better remembered for running out Bill Brown, was then chosen as captain. Roy continued to terrorise the Indian batsmen, and the West Indies won by 295 runs. He took 2 for 44 and 3 for 36, and his bowling was notable both for its pace and liberal use of bouncers and still, but less frequently, beamers.

The tension that had arisen between Alexander and Roy after the First Test had never really diminished. Clearly the divide between the Cambridge educated Alexander and Roy, who had come from poverty, was too significant. Whether it ever could have been overcome is difficult to know. The West Indies were going through substantial social reforms, and the previously defined class roles were rapidly disappearing. Roy’s complex personality needed sensitive and careful handling by his captain, and Alexander was not capable, or not willing, to do this. Regardless of his treatment by the captain, Roy was not especially popular with many of his teammates either. He was known to be a fiery and hostile bowler, but more than that, he was considered to have a malicious streak, and this was evidenced by his bowling of repeated beamers at the Indian batsmen.

The Fifth and final Test was held on a placid pitch at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground at Delhi. The match ended in a draw, with no bowlers able to make any real impact. Roy took 3 for 90 and 3 for 63, but was outshone by the allround performance of Collie Smith, who scored a century and took 3 for 94 and 5 for 90 with his gentle offspinners. Roy finished the series with 26 wickets at 16.11 in four tests. The speed of Roy’s bowling can be best demonstrated by direct comparison with Wes Hall. Hall is largely regarded as one of the fastest bowlers of all time, however, the only Indian batsman to make a century in the series, Chandau Borde, rated Gilchrist as the faster of the pair. Gary Sobers also considered Roy Gilchrist to be the fastest bowler that he ever played with or against.

After the conclusion of the Fifth Test, the West Indies were to play one final tour match in India before departing for Pakistan. This match, irrelevant in the larger scheme of things, was to prove decisive in Roy’s international career. This last game was played at the Gandhi Sports Complex Ground in Amritsar against Northern Zone. On an under-prepared pitch, the West Indies were sent into bat, and were quickly dismissed for just 76. North Zone’s reply was even worse, making 59. Roy took 4 for 33 and Lance Gibbs 5 for 22. The West Indies faired a little better in the second innings, putting together a total of 228. The captain of North Zone, Swaranjit Singh, was a former colleague of Alexander at Cambridge, and he had evidently told Alexander that he would show the other Indian players how to deal with Roy. This news had filtered back to Roy, although who by is unknown. It was also said that Roy had a grudge against Singh following an article Singh had written about him. Clearly, fireworks were expected. Singh had been bowled by the first ball he faced in the first innings, but had made a solid start the second time around, being unbeaten on 15 just before lunch on the final day.

Roy bowled the final over before lunch, and after bowling a bouncer, tried to york Singh. Roy slightly underpitched the delivery, and Singh drove it back down the ground for four. Perhaps overconfident, or merely slightly silly, Singh said to Roy “You like that one? Beautiful wasn’t it?” The next ball, not unexpectedly for anyone who knew Roy, was a beamer straight at Singh’s head. Roy described it later as one of the fastest balls he ever bowled, and Singh was lucky not to wear it. Considerably unnerved by this, Singh edged the next ball but was dropped by Alexander. Roy followed this up with another beamer that Singh just managed to avoid. Alexander went to Roy at this point, and ordered him to stop bowling beamers. This message went unheeded, a third beamer for the over was sent down, and the two teams left the field for the lunch break.

Alexander approached Roy, and told him that he had bowled his last ball on the tour. Alexander then approached Singh, and asked him if he would have any objections to Roy being replaced. Not surprisingly, Singh was more than happy for this to occur, and Roy never walked back onto the field for the West Indies again. The tour selectors met at the end of play, and it was unanimously agreed that Roy would be sent home on the next available flight, while the rest of the team flew to Pakistan. Alexander informed Roy of this decision, which evidently was not well received. Quite what happened at the meeting remains a mystery, however, rumours of what transpired included everything from shouting through to Roy pulling a knife on Alexander.

Realising that his chances of playing again for West Indies were slim while Alexander was captain, Roy signed a contract to play professionally in England for Accrington in the Lancashire Leagues. He moved permanently to England, playing for a variety of different sides including Baccup, Middleton, Great Chell, Lowerhouse, Crompton and East Bierly over the following decades. Not surprisingly for a player of his talent, Roy dominated the Leagues, as his pace and bounce were simply beyond the capacity of most amateurs. He took an amazing 280 wickets in 1958 and 1959 for Middleton, and averaged over 100 wickets a season for nearly two decades.

Roy only ever played a handful more first class games, with a match at the Bourda Ground against Barbados in October 1961 his first at home since the Indian tour, and also his last game ever in the West Indies. On the basis of his form in England, Frank Worrell evidently requested him to be included for the 1960/61, however, the selectors refused point blank to consider it. Perhaps most interestingly, almost all of Roy’s first class cricket then took place in India. The BCCI, in an amazingly far-sighted manner, recognized that India would not become a Test power until they learn to play genuinely quick bowling. A group of fast bowlers including Roy, Chester Watson, Charlie Stayers and Lester King, spent a large part of the 1962/63 season playing for various Indian first class teams. Roy’s final first class match was for the Andhra Chief Minister's XI against the Indian Starlets in Hyderabad in March 1963. Roy took 0 for 83 and 1 for 38 in a drawn match.

Roy’s life off the cricket ground was, sadly, almost as tumultuous as that on the ground. He had married his girlfriend, Novlyn, and they had seven children together. Their marriage was a fiery one by all accounts. A very sad episode on the 2nd of June 1967 saw Roy attack Novlyn after a dispute over him attending a party. Roy had grabbed her by the throat, held her against a wall and then branded her with a nearby hot iron. Roy was, appropriately, charged with this assault, and was given three months probation. The judge commented at the sentencing that “I hate to think that English sport has sunk so far that brutes will be tolerated because they are good at games.” There were no further reported incidents of abuse, but Roy’s volatile nature meant that the marriage was undoubtedly not a quiet and peaceful affair.

Roy lived in England for twenty six years before eventually returning home to Jamaica in 1985. He had Parkinson’s Disease, which would eventually be the cause of his death at the early age of 67. Roy died at home on the 18th July 2001 at Portmore, St Catherine, Jamaica. Roy’s career is one of promise ultimately unfilled, and the question of whether a more empathetic captain such as Frank Worrell could have guided Roy to greatness will remain unknown.

Career Statistics

Test Matches

From 1957 to 1959, Roy played in 13 test matches. He took fifty seven wickets at an average of 26.68. His best bowling figures were 6 for 55. Roy also scored 60 runs at an average of 5.45, with a highest score of 12. He took 4 catches in his test career.

First Class Games

In his 42 first class games, Roy took 167 wickets at an average of 26.00, with a best bowling of 6 for 16. He also scored 258 runs at an average of 7.81, with a highest score of 43 not out. He also took 10 catches.