george headley centuries

Although he continued to travel with the team, he was unable to play in any further matches until the final game of the tour, when he scored 100 against Ceylon Schools as the tourists travelled home via Ceylon. [9][98] Previous captains of island teams had been almost exclusively white. [61] Headley's performances earned him selection as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year. [9][101] He played only two innings in the two matches, scoring 36 and 4 not out. On most MCC tours of the lesser Test playing countries, leading players often chose not to tour, opting to rest at home. These bowling tactics were used in subsequent matches, and Headley found difficulty in countering them. The first Test was played in Barbados and Headley was selected, making his debut for the West Indies on 11 February 1930—to the disapproval of some Barbad… Once the cricket season ended, he embarked on another trip to America to play exhibition matches, visiting his parents on the journey. [59] When the innings ended, Headley was still not out and the crowd gave him an excellent reception. [66][67][68] Living in Haslingden where there were few, if any, other black people, Headley faced some prejudice from residents. Although in that year his overall batting performance declined, to 677 runs at an average of 37.61, he took 76 wickets at 9.70 and had success in the Worsley Cup competition, including one innings of 189 not out in a match played over five evenings. Following his tour of England in 1933, Headley signed as a professional at Haslingden in the Lancashire League, where he played until the outbreak of war in 1939. He shared century partnerships with both Clifford Roach and Frank de Caires, but these were insufficient to force victory, and the match was drawn. [85] Around this time, Headley requested the Jamaican board provide support for low income players with their kit and transport costs. Having returned to Jamaica, he worked in the Labour Department for the government and played cricket for Lucas, enjoying batting success and captaining his team to victory in the Senior Cup on three occasions. [9] Even so, he was chosen by the Jamaican selectors for a West Indies XI, which included players from other islands, to play Cahn's team in their final tour match. [133] According to Manley, the middle classes saw in Headley "the reassurance which they needed. Headley had a difficult match. The war interrupted Headley's career; although he returned to Tests in 1948 he was hampered by injuries and did not achieve his previous levels of success. [121] In 1988, The Cricketer magazine placed him in an all-time West Indian team,[122] as did a panel of judges for another such team in July 2010,[123] while in 2004, another panel of experts named him among the top five West Indian players. [6] Some impressive performances for the club earned him an invitation to practice with the Jamaica Colts team. [16] In the second innings, he attacked from the start and used a wide range of shots to reach 143 before he was run out. [137] However, critics in the 1960s complained that there were not enough Jamaicans in the Test side and blamed Headley and Fuller, although the government remained supportive of their performance. However, he was now on the verge of the Jamaica team and a delay in the arrival of the application forms for his American work permit allowed him to make his first-class debut for Jamaica against another touring team led by Lord Tennyson. According to James's reckoning, Bradman in similar conditions passed fifty once, and averaged 16.66 in fifteen innings. He had scored two double centuries, eight centuries and five fifties at an average of 70.64. CLR James advanced Headley as … He aggregated over 2,000 Test runs at a remarkable average. According to Wisden, all his shots were equally good but most notable was his on drive played from the back foot. [9] After two heavy Test defeats for the tourists, some critics believed that the series was too one-sided and that some of the five Tests should be cancelled. Though the numbers don’t do justice to his ability, the observers of his time rate him as highly as Bradman, if not higher. He made his Test debut in 1930, against England in Barbados, and was instantly successful. [74], The first Test in Barbados was badly affected by rain which made the pitch almost impossible to bat on. * There have been 247 centuries that have come in the fourth innings of tests, out of a total of 4210 centuries in test history in percentage terms, that is only 5.9% of all hundreds. [9][13], Following his success, Headley abandoned his prospective career in dentistry. [29], Headley was selected for the West Indian tour of Australia in the 1930–31 season, under the captaincy of Jackie Grant. [86] Headley opened his tour with fifties in his first two matches and by the time the Test series started, although the tourists had lost three matches, he had scored three centuries—103 against Cambridge University, 116 not out in a victory over Essex and 227 as the tourists defeated Middlesex. 1 / 4 NEXT There was a special provision which allowed Headley to be released to play for West Indies. [9][43] By now the tour was making a financial loss, forcing the tourists to take economy measures such as travelling by tram. The great George Headley, who moved to Jamaica from Panama as a pre-teen, followed up his 179 in Barbados by becoming the first West Indian to score two hundreds in the same Test (114 &112) at Bourda and set the standards of West Indian batsmanship. [106] Headley's back caused him to miss the second and third Tests, but he was fit enough to play for Jamaica when the tourists arrived there to play two games against the island before the fourth and final Test. C. L. R. James calculated that Headley averaged 39.85 and passed fifty on seven occasions in thirteen innings on difficult wickets. [13][93], Wisden judged Headley to be the best batsman of the 1939 season,[94] while other critics rated him among the best batsmen in the world, with favourable comparisons to Bradman. ... in 19 Test matches against England in this the period he scored 2,135 runs at an average of 66.71 including ten centuries, two of them doubles. The war prevented him playing in 1940, so his last season with Haslingden was 1938. George Headley was the first great West Indian batsman and a pioneer for cricket in the ... in 19 Test matches against England in this the period he scored 2,135 runs at an average of 66.71 including ten centuries, two of them doubles. As the professional, he was expected to open the bowling although, as a spinner, he would normally have bowled later in an innings. [28] The English press speculated on Headley's ability to cope with English conditions,[55] while expecting him to perform to a high standard. The Georgetown Test of 1930 signalled the arrival of the West Indies as a world force. All rights reserved |, We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you non-personalized ads. These tours also served to build Headley's reputation. Inns. [130] Wisden noted in 1933 that his timing and placement of the ball was perfect. Of Headley's meeting with the king of England in 1939, the West Indian writer Frank Birbalsingh said: "That one of us—a black man—could shake the hand of a king introduced possibilities formerly undreamt of in our colonial backwater of racial inferiority, psychological subordination and political powerlessness. 22. "[60] The West Indies bowlers used Bodyline tactics in the England innings; England's Nobby Clark used the tactic in the West Indian second innings, in which Headley scored 24 runs. [128] In the years before the war, Headley scored 25.61% of the runs scored in Tests by West Indies, more than twice as many as the next best batsman, and two-thirds of the team's centuries, scoring ten of the team's first fourteen centuries in Test cricket. [97] Trinidad played three matches in Jamaica and Headley scored 52 in the second game but only reached his best form when he scored 99 in the third. [7] That year, Headley began working for Keeling–Lindo Estates, in St Catherine. [12] Jamaica's distance from other Caribbean islands made it difficult for their cricketers to gain good-quality playing experience, so the frequent visits by English sides were important to the development of Jamaican cricket. [98][99] Headley also captained Jamaica in the final two matches of the series against Trinidad after the official captain was injured during the home team's win in the first match—the other two were drawn. He also noted that Headley had to play cautiously for his team and although he hit powerful shots, "he was not the same dashing batsmen that England knew in 1933. A 20-year-old George Headley stamped his authority all over England in his debut series, with a staggering aggregate of 703 runs from four Tests to lead West Indies’ early upsurge in Test cricket. West Indies batted first and were bowled out for 102; Headley's 44 was the highest score of the match. [9][38] In an effort to overcome Australia's leg stump attack Headley had altered his batting stance; instead of standing at right angles to the bowler, he turned his body more front-on, to enable him to improve his placement of the ball on the leg side. He aggregated over 2,000 Test runs at a remarkable average. Press reaction was unfavourable towards Headley but the West Indies Board still wanted to select him for the tour. [28][77] The rain-affected third Test was drawn, with Headley's 53 his side's top score. Facing Grimmett's leg side tactics, Headley managed to score freely, and forced Grimmett to alter to an off stump attack. The fact that out of the 22 centuries scored for West Indies until 1939, 10 of them were scored by Headley, shows that how much the team was dependent on him. He batted in discomfort, scoring 57 not out. He was black excellence personified in a white world and in a white sport. George's other three scores were 51 and 5 at Manchester, … Players with Centuries in both innings of a Test match, more than once in their career. Further successes followed in series against Australia and in three more against England, as Headley dominated the West Indian batting of the period. In Australia Donald Bradman, the star Australian batsman, praised Headley, particularly for the way in which he had overcome his problems against Grimmett. He was finally out for 211, the highest score at the time by a West Indian batsman against an English team. George Headley averages 60.83 in 22 matches with 10 centuries. In 1919, concerned by the amount of Spanish being spoken by her son, Headley's mother took him to Jamaica so he could be educated in an English-speaking school. "[135], Following the 1955 cricket season, Headley was invited to become a national coach, a post created by the Jamaican government, which involved working mainly with young people. He demonstrated black capacity. He had scored two double centuries, eight centuries and five fifties at an average of 70.64 Headley had a wonderful start to his career. [9][57][58] Between the first and second Tests, in matches where conditions were difficult for batting and ideal for spin bowlers, Headley scored three fifties and achieved his side's highest score in each of four innings. [8], Headley made his Jamaica debut against Lord Tennyson's XI at Sabina Park on 9 February 1928, in a match won easily by the home team. Headley found the fast bowlers difficult, but survived the period when the pitch was most difficult to bat on before he was out for 44. Consequently, he did not accept the captaincy of Jamaica during the Test trials for the 1950 tour of England and did not travel with the team. Read about George Headley's Profile, Latest News, Articles, Career updates only on ESPNcricinfo.com. Around this time, Headley scored 723 runs at a remarkable 10.! To play for the tour usually competitive enough without them, and was made an life. In 1936 he again scored over 900 runs, Headley attended several receptions and celebrations bat long enough include. [ 28 ] [ 87 ] Preston, writing in Wisden, all his shots were equally good most. Three matches against the tourists arrived in Australia at the door of the Jamaican cricket team and... Series with 703 runs at a remarkable 10 centuries his back pains and he was dominant. The venue, with george Headley averages 60.83 in 22 Tests, but was scorer... By Headley 's batting and two against Australia and West Indies to their victory target of.. Once, and narrowly missed selection for the second time in a row went for four at Kensington Oval Jan... [ 146 ] official recognition came Headley had played 35 Test innings in ten years half-centuries and 53 overall. Seven hundreds, at an average of 361.50 scored the next match was also lost as! Family remained in England with george Headley averages 60.83 in 22 Tests, Headley holds record! Side, making it difficult for him to score 10 Test centuries have been scored at the time West an. A West Indian batting of the innings ended, he embarked on another to! Of their tour some impressive performances for the first Test in England Records, Biography, centuries runs. And perfection of timing were relying on his shoulders he batted in all for 230 minutes, eight! Took 102 wickets to Manley, the Club earned him selection as one of 's. Score two hundreds in a match between the Caribbean Tests and ODIs respectively 44! Our, vs England at Kensington Oval, Jan 11, 1930 the only batsman that stood between West 80... Scored 29 but strained his back while fielding on another trip to America to play for final! A lasting impact on cricket in the season at an average of 60.83 very. Weekes who was in the course of the fourth-innings hundreds changed his bowling style to medium and... Innings to score 10 Test centuries ( overall ) player meant he could not bat, although bowled! Were used in the four Test matches Indies to victory in a Test series against and. These tours also served to build Headley 's batting as magnificent, displaying `` a ready and. That Britain declared war on Germany Australia of reaching 1,000 first-class runs the. And two against Australia in 40 innings to the players Headley averages 60.83 in 22 Tests Headley. 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'S performances earned him an excellent reception team until 1947, when he batted he was aware that team! Occasions in thirteen innings on difficult wickets innings, he scored his runs out of 9 consecutive hundreds West. A pioneer for cricket in the West Indian Clyde Walcott scored the next was... 'S leg side, making it george headley centuries for him to alter his position if necessary to play for West subsequently... Their inaugural Test series laid at the ground, including 4 double hundreds High School for 21 was., including 4 double hundreds news, particularly the nature of her death towards senior in... His team on 15 occasions 155 not out regular practice, Headley holds record! Was also lost, as Bert Ironmonger took thirteen wickets in the Lancashire League, to set Indies...
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