Did Caribbean Connections Begin with 'The Greatest'?

In 1968, Nottinghamshire signing the greatest all-rounder in cricket was a surprise to the cricket world – including most Trent Bridge fans.

Gary Sobers was joining a side that were languishing at the foot of the County Championship – to put it in 21stC context, imagine Nottingham Forest announcing Lionel Messi (or perhaps Lamine Yamal!) as their latest signing!

Sobers had an immediate impact on the side, lifting them from fifteenth to fourth place in the Championship, contributing 1590 runs, 25 catches and 84 wickets.

In the six years that Sobers gave his aura to Notts, he scored more than 7,000 runs with 18 centuries (all the more impressive when his absences on Test duties or with injuries are taken into account) at an average of 48.89. 

With his mixture of fast-medium pace and canny left-arm spin, he also took 281 wickets at 25.62 with 9 five wicket hauls and one ‘ten-fer’; his best figures were in that first dramatic season when he took 7-69 against Kent at Dover.

When Sobers arrived at Trent Bridge for the summer of ’68, a West Indies Test colleague, wicketkeeper-batter Deryck Murray, was in his second season with Notts, having joined whilst still at Cambridge University.

So, although Sobers was the stellar signing, Murray was the first West Indian born cricketer to play for a Notts team…or was he?

Sir Learie at Bulwell

 Back in the early 1950s, the legendary Learie Constantine - later Sir Learie and then Lord Constantine – played in two benefit games for stalwart Notts bowlers.

Already aged 50, Constantine played against Bulwell CC in 1950 for Harold Butler’s benefit and a year later was back at Bulwell for Arthur Jepson’s XI.

Though they were not labelled as Nottinghamshire teams, the two visiting sides were – Constantine apart – made up of Trent Bridge regulars so it’s not stretching the point too far to say that the first great black all-rounder did represent a Notts team.

The impact of his appearances, Peter Wynne-Thomas said ‘proved a great draw for the public’ and helpful to both beneficiaries – Butler’s benefit raised almost £3000 and Jepson a year later banked more than £2000.

Constantine may have made a brief impact but it was the arrival of Gary Sobers that paved the way for generations of  players from the West Indies, or with Caribbean heritage, to succeed in Nottinghamshire cricket.

 

 

July 2024