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

Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Test matches 74.4 29 122 6 4-25 20.33 - - Other matches 220.4 67 496 27 4-13 18.37 - - Tour (6b) 295.2 96 618 33 4-13 18.72 - - Career (6b) 1086 324 } 3048 117 5-31 26.05 2 - (8b) 139 13 1950/51 In preparation for the forthcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand, four trial matches were arranged by the WICBC early in 1951. Jamaica played against British Guiana twice in Kingston while Trinidad opposed Barbados twice at Bridgetown. Still serving as captain of Barbados, Goddard took part in one game but was prevented by injury from playing in the second. Both of the matches at Kensington were left drawn, although Walcott (17, 211 not out, 77 & 97) was in tremendously good form. Weekes also batted brilliantly with scores of 82, 121 and 75. Goddard was unbeaten in his only two innings, which included a defiant 66 when Barbados were struggling at 279/7 on the first day of the tournament. With E.L.G.Hoad, jun. (24), he added 43 for the eighth wicket and with Carl Mullins (5) 30 for the tenth. In the second innings, however, he retired hurt (at 7) and took no further part in the tournament. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 68. Barbados v Trinidad, Bridgetown, February 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 (Match drawn) not out 66 363 1 0 1 0 279 retired hurt 7 168 - - - - 167-8 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Season 1 2 2 73 66* - - 1 - Career 68 89 19 2711 218* 38.72 5 13 60 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Season (6b) 1 0 1 0 - - - - Career (6b) 1087 324 } 3049 117 5-31 26.05 2 - (8b) 139 13 1951/52 — West Indians in Australia and New Zealand Great deeds were expected from the West Indian squad which travelled to Australasia in the winter of 1951/52. Having just triumphed twice against England and once against India, the West Indies went to Australia as potential champions of the cricket world. But they were compelled to face the might of the opposition before adequate preparation and never really generated the necessary momentum. In fact, it was a disastrous tour in which the West Indies won only one of the six games against the State teams and only one of the five Tests against Australia. They lost no fewer than 9 of their 17 first-class matches and performed moderately well only in New Zealand and Tasmania. Goddard’s reputation as a leader was irreparably tarnished, even though his men might well have won the Test series had they held on to their catches and batted with greater patience and determination. Injuries to Walcott and Weekes undermined their batting and the absence of a really quick bowler impaired their attack. Ramadhin failed to rediscover his magical form of 1950 and the opening partnership of Rae and Stollmeyer never responded positively to the challenges presented by Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall. Goddard himself showed only occasional glimpses of his true form with either the bat or the ball. He captured only 8 wickets at a much higher cost than usual and managed but a single half-century. In his 74th game, against Western Australia at Perth in December, he scored his 3,000th run in first-class cricket. Apart from two courageous innings among the seven he played in the four Tests, his batting was a personal disappointment. Even so, and notwithstanding all of the above, the West Indies would 22