Test Cricket wallowed in a trough of disinterest 50 years ago and simultaneously, West Indies Test Cricket seemed to be just marking time. That was when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) yielded to a strong and sustained campaign by CLR James, one of the region's premier cricket writers and social activists, against the WICB's racist practise of appointing only white men to captain the Test team.
Headley and Constantine, two eminent players who had the required leadership qualities, were made to play under some really sub-standard captains and the teams, as a result, never played to their full potential. James succeeded in seeing Frank Worrell replace Franz Alexander as captain to tour Australia in 1960/1, Australia, a country that was still driven by a white Australia policy. For the 1960/1 tour, Frank Worrell, past the glorious years of his batting artistry, was appointed captain on a tour that would emphasise the folly of the policy of white captains. Fortunately, Worrell was not just a black man but a remarkable, intelligent and well developed human being.
He was a leader whose natural gifts were honed and improved by his dilligent efforts and his continuing education, not merely scholastic. He was not blighted by racial prejudice nor by the effect of racists who did, unsuccessfully, what they could to cut him down to their own level–in his own country. What would be a boost to the benefit of cricket was that Worrell was opposed by Australia's Richie Benaud, a man who was of the same mould as Worrell and they agreed to play cricket as it should be played, enjoyably, by and for the players and for the spectators' pleasure. The result would be a joy to all concerned. The tour began with a new policy of West Indies leadership. There were no curfews but the skipper impressed his men with their responsibility to themselves, to the team and to the people back home, who were strongly affected by their performance. It is recorded that not only did they play excellent cricket, they performed to the highest spirit of the game. The series began with the first ever tied Test. For five days, the match swung one way and then the other with excellent performances from Gary Sobers, Gerry Alexander, Wes Hall and the skipper himself and for the Aussies, Allan Davidson, 11 wickets and innings of 44 and 80, Norman O'Neill and Bobby Simpson.
To top it all, it ended with a period of nail biting tension as, from over to over it seemed that Australia, then West Indies were the likely winners. Needless to say the crowds were ecstatic and so were the players and even those who only got it over the radio, as in the Caribbean, we had not got televised cricket yet. That first Test set the standard for the rest of the tour. The West Indies played as West Indies should, positively, attacking at every opportunity and in the face of some poor umpiring, played the game without any overt disagreement or sulking at some really dastardly decisions. The result of the series was a 2-1 win for Australia but a definite victory for the Windies in every other aspect of the tour. This was emphasised when the team was leaving. The streets of Melbourne were lined with an estimated crowd of more than quarter million people, showering the Windies' motorcade with ticker tape and singing 'For They Are Jolly Good Fellows.' The Aussies wanted them back as soon as possible. Let us have a look at the First Test at the Gabba. In the preceding series against England, 518 runs were scored in four days. In this one, West Indies scored 359 on the first day and 1474 runs would be scored in the five days struggle. Gary Sobers set the standard on day one, scoring a century in just over two hours as he played a brilliant innings of 132. Worrell, Joe Solomon and Alexander each scored sixties and Wes Hall played his stylish innings of 50. The Aussies matched this with Norman O'Neill's 181 and Bobby Simpson's 92.
Alan Davidson, already in the spotlight with five first innings wickets added 44 in his first innings and would add 80 run out in the second after he took six more wickets in the Windies' second innings.
The West Indies first innings 435 was just bettered by the Aussies' 505 and when the tourists were dismissed for 284, thanks to a 33 run last wicket stand by Alf Valentine and Wes Hall, Australia seemed in the drivers' seat, with a winning target of just 233 runs and more than five hours play in which to get them. Nerves were set jangling and excitement reigned as Wes Hall got among the Kangaroos, and had them at panic stations with five down for 57 and six for 92 with all the batsmen back in the pavilion and only the allrounders, skipper Benaud and Davidson likely to hold out hope for the home team. Indeed, they took their team to within touching distance of victory, before Davidson was run out, failing to beat Solomon's direct throw from square leg to be out with just six runs needed and three wickets in hand.
Wes Hall, with Worrell's advice that if he bowled a no ball he might not be able to go back to Barbados, bowled the last over.
A leg bye was conceded off the first ball and Benaud was caught by the wicketkeeper as he edged his attempted hook off Hall's bouncer. A bye was scrambled off a ball that went through to the keeper. Disaster struck for the West Indies when Grout skied a shot from Hall's fifth ball and Kanhai got under it for what looked a simple catch but Hall dashed after it and crashed into Kanhai, causing him to drop the catch, as the batsmen scrambled a single. With three needed, Meckiff hit Hall to square leg and raced for the winning third run but Hunte's throw was splendid and Grout was run out. The scores were tied and last man, Lindsey Kline clipped Hall to square leg and went for the winning run. Joe Solomon, with one stump to aim at, scored a direct hit and the match was tied. For the first time, after 83 years and 502 Test matches, a Test was tied. Many in the ground were not sure who had won and most spectators were as emotionally drained as the players. The perfect dramatic ending had the two captains leaving the field arm in arm.
WEST INDIES
C Hunte c Benaud b Davidson 24 C Simpson b Mackay 39
C Smith c Grout b Davidson 7 c O'Neill b Davidson 6
R Kanhai c Grouut b Davidson 15 c Grout b Davidson 54
G Sobers c Kline b Meckiff 132 b Davidson 14
F Worrell c Grot b Davidson 65 c Grout b Davidson 65
J Solomon hit wicket b Simpson 65 lbw b Simpson 47
P Lashley c Grout b Kline 19 b Davidson 0
G Alexander c Davidson b Kline 60 b Benaud 5
S Ramadhin c Harvey b Davidson 12 c Harvey b Simpson 6
W Hall st Grout b Kline 50 b Daavidson 18
A Valentine not out 0 not out 7
Extras: 4 23
Total: 453 284
BOWLING: First Innings: Davidson 30-2-135-5; Meckiff 18-0-129-1; Mackay 3-0-15-0; Benaud 24-3-93-0; Simpson 9-025-1; Kline 17.6-6-52-3.
Second Innings: Davidson: 24.6-4-87-6; Meckiff 4-1-19-0; Mackay 21-7-52-1; Benaud 32-6-69-1; Simpson 7-2-18-2; Kline 4-0-14-1; O'Neill 1-0-2-0.
Fall of Wickets: 1st Innings: 23, 42, 65, 239, 243, 283, 347, 366, 452, 453.
Second Innings: 13, 88, 114, 127, 210, 210, 241, 250, 253, 284.
AUSTRALIA:
C McDonald c Hunte b Sobers 57 b Worrell 16
R Simpson b Ramadhin 92 c Sub b Hall 0
N Harvey b Valentine 15 c Sobers b Hall 5
N O'Neill c Valentine b Hall 181 c Alexander b Hall 26
L Flavell run out 45 c Solomon b Hall 87
N Mackay b Sobers 35 b Ramadhin 28
A Davidson c Alexander b Hall 44 run out 80
R Benaud lbw b Hall 10 c Alexander b Hall 52
W Grout lbw b Hall 4 run out 2
I Meckiff run out 4 run out 2
L Kline not out 3 not out 0
Extras: 15 14
Total: 505 232
BOWLING: First Inns: Hall 29.3-1-140-4; Worrell 30-0-93-0; Sobers 32-0-115-2; Valentine 24-6-82-1; Ramadhin 15-1-60-1.
Second Inns: Hall 17.7-3-63-5; Worrell 16-3-41-4; Sobers 8-0-30-0; Valentine 10-4-27-0; Ramadhin 17-3-57-1.
FALL OF WICKETS: First Inns: 84, 138, 194, 278, 381, 469, 484, 489, 496, 505.
Second Inns: 1, 7, 49, 49, 57, 92, 226, 228, 232, 232.
