Famous Cricketers No 73 - Sonny Ramadhin

original mystique. While the West Indians were able to win the earlier series with ease, they were now overwhelmed 3-0 in the five Tests. Ramadhin toiled manfully in the first Test at Birmingham, delivering more balls than any other bowler had previously done in a single Test innings (588) or in a single Test match. His 774 deliveries still constitute a record for a Test match, surpassing the 766 that England’s Hedley Verity had sent down against South Africa at Durban in March 1939. After that herculean effort, Ramadhin became increasingly ineffective in the Tests. Against the counties the tourists fared much better, not losing to any of them. Altogether the West Indians won 14 of their 31 first-class matches and lost 3. Ramadhin headed their bowling averages with 119 wickets at 13.98 runs apiece. But only 14 of these were captured in the five Tests and at much greater cost. In one memorable game against Oxford University in May, he claimed 13/47 which proved to be the best match analysis of his career. These figures still constitute a West Indian record against that institution. Valentine, who had bowled so brilliantly in 1950, was but a shadow of his former self. He took no wickets at all in the first two Tests and was omitted from the Test XI afterwards. This allowed Ramadhin to overtake him as the leading West Indian bowler at that level. By the time the series was over, Ramadhin had captured 127 Test wickets which then constituted a West Indian record. He had also become only the second West Indian, following S.G.Smith (of Trinidad, Northamptonshire and Auckland) to exceed 500 wickets in first-class cricket. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 98. West Indians v Northamptonshire, Northampton, May 4, 6, 7 (West Indians won by four wickets) not out 2 328-7d 19 10 20 5 B.L.Reynolds b 91 D.W.Barrick b V.Broderick c E.DeC.Weekes J.P.Fellows-Smith b F.H.Tyson b did not bat - 96-6 61 27 88 3 D.Brookes b 332 V.Broderick b J.P.Fellows-Smith st R.B.Kanhai 99. West Indians v Oxford University, The Parks, May 8, 9, 10 (West Indians won by an innings and 90 runs) did not bat - 293-5d 13 7 18 6 A.C.Walton b 119 M.A.Eagar b J.D.Currie lbw M.D.Scott st R.B.Kanhai J.A.Bailey b S.V.C.Clube b 23 8 29 7 I.Gibson lbw 84 J.A.D.Hobbs c R.B.Kanhai C.D.Melville b J.D.Currie st R.B.Kanhai R.G.Woodcock b J.A.Bailey b J.B.Phillips b 100. West Indians v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, May 15, 16, 17 (Match drawn) did not bat - 366-6d 37 17 70 5 J.T.Davies b 225 I.M.McLachlan b E.R.Dexter lbw R.M.James lbw G.Goonesena c G.St A.Sobers 30 5 84 2 G.W.Cook b 258 I.M.MacLachlan lbw 101. West Indians v Yorkshire, Bramall Lane, May 22, 23, 24 (Match drawn) not out 1 190 32.3 15 47 6 D.B.Close c G.St A.Sobers 162 J.V.Wilson c F.C.M.Alexander R.Illingworth b J.G.Binks b D.E.V.Padgett b J.H.Wardle c R.B.Kanhai did not bat - 272-6d 28 18 21 4 D.B.Close b 141-8 R.Illingworth b J.G.Binks b D.E.V.Padgett b 27