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14
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1950 : THE MAIDEN
TEST ENCOUNTER
Yorkshire’s Norman Yardley won the toss for England
and elected to bat first but the decision soon backfired
as they slumped to 25-4, with the new ball providing
Hines Johnson and Frank Worrell – bowling his nippy
left-arm seamers – each with a couple of wickets.
A succession of 20s, 30s and 40s from the middle order
lifted England to 223 but the West Indies, despite the
loss of Jeffrey Stollmeyer, already had 77 on the board
by the close of the opening day.
Robert Christiani fell for 10 early the next day,
providing Shackleton with his first Test wicket. Allan
Rae made 68 but at 238-3 the West Indies were already
ahead when Worrell and Weekes joined forces. Just a
month earlier the pair had added 163 on the same
ground against Nottinghamshire. This time they kept
going well into the third morning by which time they
had added 283 in 210 minutes.
Worrell was eventually dismissed for 261, a score that
remains as the highest ever hit on the ground by an
overseas player in Test cricket. Everton Weekes
contribution was 129 but then the tail collapsed
spectacularly as the last seven wickets fell for just 37
runs, with Bedser’s 48 over shift being rewarded with
figures of 5-127.
Batting again, 335 behind, England needed a good start
– and by golly, they got one!
Washbrook and Simpson remained together for more
than five hours in adding 212 for the first wicket, a
record against the West Indies. Both men then fell in
quick succession – Washbrook for 10 and Simpson,
tragically, run out for 94.
Parkhouse, Dewes and Evans all passed fifty as Eng-
land showed they had the stomach for a fight. They
batted for 245.2 overs in reaching 436 with the bowling
figures of the two principle spinners worth examining
closely:
A Valentine 92-49-140-3
S Ramadhin 81.2-25-135-5
BY DAVE BRACEGIRDLE: Trent Bridge’s first Test
Match between England the West Indies took place in
July 1950. It was the third in a four-game series and
began with each side having already gained a victory.
England had triumphed at Old Trafford – despite Alf
Valentine’s incredible debut - but at Lord’s it was
Trinidad and Tobago’s Sonny Ramadhin who stole the
show, claiming match figures of 11-152 to spin his side
to a 326 run victory.
England’s difficulties against Valentine persisted also,
as he took seven of the other wickets to tumble.
Opener Allan Rae had scored a patient 106 in the first
innings for the West Indies but in the second innings it
was the much-vaunted middle order that went to work.
Clyde Walcott’s 168 not out, backed by Gomez (70),
Weekes (63), Worrell (45) left England chasing 601 – a
totally unrealistic objective, despite a century from
Cyril Washbrook.
And so, with the series intriguingly poised, it was off to
Nottingham, with so much at stake for both sides.
After their humbling defeat at ‘The Home of Cricket’
England were forced into making changes and they did
so with relish. Out went Hutton, Edrich, Doggart,
Wardle and Berry to be replaced by two debutants –
Doug Insole, the Essex middle order batsman and
medium pacer, plus Derek Shackleton, the Hampshire
opening bowler. There were also recalls for Eric Hollies
of Warwickshire, John Dewes of Middlesex – and most
pleasing for the home supporters, Reg Simpson of
Nottinghamshire.
As a statistical aside, the make-up of the England team
meant that for the first time eleven different counties
were represented.
Simpson had played in the opening match of the
summer, at Manchester – but had missed the game at
Lord’s. A Trent Bridge century against the tourists, for
his county side, Nottinghamshire, must have helped his
cause because he was now back for his fifth Test
appearance – and his first on home soil.
MICK NEWELL
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