Famous Cricketers No 71 - J.D.C.Goddard

originally selected to lead the home side, at a time when the WICBC was still pursuing the policy of choosing a local white cricketer to lead each separate Test match. Headley’s stature was such, however, that he could not have been bypassed as captain for the first Test in Barbados, where there was no cricketer with international experience apart from George Carew, the black opening batsman, and ‘Foffie’ Williams, the black fast bowler; and, in any case, they had each played previously in only one Test. After Headley broke down during the first Test, Gomez captained the team in Trinidad, and (to the astonishment of many) Goddard, who had less international experience than either Gomez or Stollmeyer, was asked to lead the West Indies during the last two Tests. These were the two matches which the West Indies won. The MCC began their tour with two games against a very strong Barbados XI, led by Goddard. Both matches were left drawn. A.M. ‘Charlie’ Taylor (161), Walcott (120) and Weekes (118 not out) struck brilliant centuries for Barbados (514/4d) in the first, and Denis Brookes (108) and Joe Hardstaff (105) did likewise for MCC in the second. Apart from a confident half-century in his first innings against the tourists (when he and Weekes shared in another century partnership), Goddard did little but was selected for the first Test under Headley’s captaincy. He thus made his Test début on 21 January 1948 at the age of 28 years, 275 days. Batting at No. 7, he had to face the great Jim Laker (7/103) early on the second morning after overnight rains had made batting extremely difficult. From 244/3 at the start of the session, the West Indies collapsed for 296. Goddard’s 28 in those circumstances was a very fine innings indeed. He performed very well with the ball, returning the impressive match analysis of 35-10-67-3. His first Test victim was Winston Place, whom Gomez caught for 12 after an opening partnership of 32 runs. Elevated to the captaincy for the third Test which began on 3 March, he led the West Indies to victory by claiming 6/74, which remained his best match analysis in Test cricket, with his dangerous medium-pace off-cutters. His 5/31 in the first innings at Bourda was his best bowling performance up to that time. In the final Test, his squad again emerged victorious with the captain scoring 46 not out in the second innings and actually striking the winning blow for his team. The series witnessed the emergence of the Three Ws as great Test players. Weekes and Worrell both scored centuries and if Walcott did less well with the bat, he impressed everyone with his wicket-keeping skills which accounted for no fewer than 16 dismissals in the 4 Tests. Goddard, who actually opened the batting in both innings of the third and fourth Tests, was universally applauded for the manner in which he acquitted himself as captain. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 22. Barbados v MCC, Bridgetown, January 9, 10, 12, 13 (Match drawn) run out 52 514-4d 9 2 16 0 334 9 4 18 2 W.Place b 260-6 J.Hardstaff b 23. Barbados v MCC, Bridgetown, January 15, 16, 17, 19 (Match drawn) b J.C.Laker 20 243-6d 15 2 40 1 W.Place b 358 1 lbw b R.Howorth 3 182-8 24. WEST INDIES v ENGLAND, Bridgetown, January 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 (Match drawn) b R.Howorth 28 296 21 6 49 1 W.Place c G.E.Gomez 253 1 c J.T.Ikin b J.C.Laker 18 351-9d 14 4 18 2 D.Brookes c C.L.Walcott 86-4 J.Hardstaff c G.E.Gomez 25. WEST INDIES v ENGLAND, Port-of-Spain, February 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 (Match drawn) not out 9 497 23.3 6 64 1 J.C.Laker c B.McG.Gaskin 362 1 did not bat - 72-3 9 4 11 0 275 26. WEST INDIES v ENGLAND, Georgetown, March 3, 4, 5, 6 (West Indies won by seven wickets) b G.O.B.Allen 1 297-8d 14.2 5 31 5 L.Hutton c E.A.V.Williams 111 J.D.B.Robertson c W.Ferguson W.Place c R.J.Christiani J.T.Ikin c W.Ferguson R.Howorth c W.Ferguson lbw J.C.Laker 3 78-3 24 8 43 1 K.Cranston c R.J.Christiani 263 2 27. WEST INDIES v ENGLAND, Kingston, March 27, 29, 30, 31, April 1 (West Indies won by ten wickets) c L.Hutton b R.Howorth 17 490 19 7 33 0 227 not out 46 76-0 25 9 38 1 L.Hutton c sub 336 16