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.^[1]

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.^[2]

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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.^[5]

References

^ "E. W. Swanton's Team in West Indies, 1956", Wisden 1957, pp. 883–86.
^ "Duke of Norfolk's Team in Jamaica, 1957", Wisden 1958, pp. 853–57.
^ "E. W. Swanton's Team in the West Indies, 1961", Wisden 1962, pp. 878–82.
^ "Overseas Cricket, 1966-67", Wisden 1968, pp. 930–31.
^ "Duke of Norfolk's Side in West Indies, 1970", Wisden 1971, pp. 922–25.

External sources

CricketArchive – itinerary of events

v t International cricket tours of the West Indies
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Afghanistan	2017
Australia	1954–55 1964–65 1972–73 1977–78 1983–84 1990–91 1994–95 1998–99 2003 2008 2011–12 2015 2021
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England	1929–30 1934–35 1947–48 1953–54 1959–60 1967–68 1973–74 1980–81 1985–86 1989–90 1993–94 1997–98 2003–04 2008–09 2013–14 2014–15 2016–17 2018–19 2021–22 2023–24 2024-25
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American	1887–88 1909 2004
Australian (WSC)	1978–79
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Dutch	2001
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Multi-national	1966–67
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