West Indian cricket team in England in 1900

Several of the leading West Indies players were unavailable and the team that eventually sailed for England was a little weaker than had been anticipated.

The result was that the West Indians suffered a series of heavy defeats in the early games, a situation not helped by them losing the toss of most occasions.

Eventually, because of a combination of the tourists improving and the opponents fielding much weaker sides, the games became much more competitive and by the end of the tour 5 matches had been won compared to 8 losses.

The lack of a genuine wicket-keeper, the poor running between the wickets and the weakness of the fielding were widely commented on.

This idea was further developed and in June 1899 a combined West Indian eleven was invited to visit England.

A letter had been received from British Guiana indicating that Sproston was unable to accompany the team, although this eventually turned out not to be the case.

Further a letter was received from Mr. Aucher Warner offering his services as captain in accordance with the West Indies Cricket Committee in London.

The tourists had a few days practice on the Hampshire ground and then travelled up to London to start their first match on 11 June.

"It was perhaps, a pity that it was deemed advisable not to consider the West Indian matches as first-class, but it is difficult to see how this could be avoided; for on the form shown during the early part of the tour, the team would have been hopelessly out of the running, while, when the turn of the tide came, it was far too late to make any changes".

The tourists made a bad start when Aucher Warner lost the toss and WG and James Gilman added 135 for the first wicket.

Tommie Burton then dismissed both openers and with Float Woods bowling Len Braund cheaply the West Indians were in a better position.

The tourists made a poor start in reply and were 85/6 at the end of the first day with Frederick Pearson taking 4 cheap wickets.

Rain had affected the pitch overnight and despite a useful stand of 74 between Stanley Sproston and Percy Cox the West Indians were dismissed for 187 with Pearson taking 6/73.

The West Indies struggled in reply and were 190 all out, George Learmond making 52 and adding 75 in 30 minutes with Charles Ollivierre.

The Minor Counties side was not at all representative and had 7 Northamptonshire players joined by Creber and Lowe from Glamorgan, Williams from Berkshire and Elliott from Durham.

Batting again the West Indians were in trouble but with 68 from Fitz Hinds and 30s from Percy Cox and William Bowring they set a target of 116.

The Minor Counties were then dismissed for just 54 with Float Woods (4/31), Burton (3/11) and William Mignon (2/5) doing all the bowling and giving the tourists their first victory.

When they batted the tourists collapsed for 98 with Percy Goodman run out for 38, Townsend and Frederick Roberts taking the wickets.

Aucher Warner replaced his brother Plum in the side and the tourists had a three-day break before the match.

Thunderstorms on the second day stopped play for three hours with Hampshire on 101/2 and only Victor Barton with 59 and Llewellyn with 93 had much success on a poor pitch.

Cecil Holden made 86 for Liverpool but Tommie Burton and Cox took 5 wickets each to give the tourists a first innings lead of 47.

As everyone thought at the time, the programme of matches arranged in December was too ambitious, but the defect was easily remedied, the leading counties putting far less than their full strength into the field when the West Indians had to be opposed.".

Considering that the team had never played together before, that they loss the toss on no fewer than twelve occasions out of the seventeen matches that the programme comprised, I think that the judgment I have given will be endorsed on all sides".

[6] He continues later: "The weakest points of the team were: (1) The absence of a reliable wicket-keeper, and (2) The bad judgment that was too often displayed when running".

During the opening match a formal welcome was given to the team during which it appears that Aucher Warner had made the remark: "we have come to learn, sir" to WG Grace.

When asked whether the coloured members of the team quickly fell into English ways Mr Nock, the Manager, reported: "Very soon.

Later he says that "In our first match I was walking through the grounds with Woods, who suddenly said to me: Mr. Nock they have got a lot of white people in this country!".

It is also worth noting that Ollivierre, a coloured Amateur, was signed up by Derbyshire during the tour and played for them for a number of years.

Much has been made over the years of Gilbert Jessop's innings of 157 in an hour and the reactions of the coloured cricketers.

West Indian captain Aucher Warner asked him why: he replied that he could bowl properly only when barefooted.