# West Indian cricket team in England in 1923

The West Indies cricket team toured England in the 1923 season. The team played 28 matches between 19 May and 5 September 1923 of which 20 were regarded as first-class. This was the 3rd West Indian tour following those of 1900 and 1906.
The early weather was disappointing and little useful practice was possible before the tour started. 3 of the first 5 matches were lost but the remainder of the tour was much more successful and only 4 of the remaining 23 matches were lost. Because of the early poor results and the lack of representative matches public interest was rather limited.
George Challenor was by far the best batsman scoring twice as many runs as any other player at an average of over 50. He scored 6 of the 8 first class centuries scored by the team and 2 of the 3 in minor matches. George Francis led the bowling with 82 first class wickets at an average of just over 15. George John, Cyril Browne and Victor Pascall also made useful contributions with the ball. The fielding was generally regarded as of high standard with Learie Constantine's cover point fielding being particularly commented on.
The performances of the team were sufficiently well regarded by the experts of the time to pave the way for West Indies to be accepted into membership of the Imperial Cricket Conference and thereby attain Test Match status with effect from their next tour of England in 1928, in particular their reduction of a powerful H D G Leveson-Gore XI to 19-6 when requiring only 28 runs to win in the final match of the tour at Scarborough.

## Touring team

Harold Austin seems to have taken a large part in organising the tour after the 1922–23 Inter-Colonial Tournament in September 1922. He seems to have selected the Barbados, British Guiana and Trinidad tourists. Little was known of the Jamaica players and they were allocated just 3 places.
The 16 players that made up the team consisted of:
| Name | |
| H.B.G. Austin (c) | Barbados |
| C.R. Browne | British Guiana |
| G. Challenor | Barbados |
| L.N. Constantine | Trinidad |
| G.A.R. Dewhurst | Trinidad |
| M.P. Fernandes | British Guiana |
| G.N. Francis | Barbados |
| J.K. Holt | Jamaica |
| C.V. Hunter | British Guiana |
| H.W. Ince | Barbados |
| G. John | Trinidad |
| R.K. Nunes (vc) | Jamaica |
| V.S. Pascall | Trinidad |
| R.L. Phillips | Jamaica |
| J.A. Small | Trinidad |
| P.H. Tarilton | Barbados |
Despite being 17 years since the last tour, two of the tourists, Austin and Challenor, had been part of the 1906 team. Learie Constantine was the son of Lebrun Constantine who had toured in 1900 and 1906. Victor Pascall was the uncle of Learie Constantine.
R.H. Mallett was the manager. Austin was chosen as captain and Nunes as vice-captain.
The professionals Francis and John were black as were Browne, Constantine, Holt, Pascall and Small amongst the amateurs.

## Preliminaries

Except for the Jamaica representatives the team sailed on the steamship Intaba, which left British Guiana on 9 April and, sailing via Trinidad and Barbados, reached Southampton on 30 April. The Jamaican players had arrived two days earlier.
The players practised at Lord's and practice matches were arranged including a match against the Indian Gymkhana but the weather was very cold.

## Matches
### Status

Of the 28 matches 8 were not regarded as first-class. These were the matches against Durham, Northumberland, Cheshire, Wiltshire, Lord Harris's XI, Dublin University, Northern Cricket Union, and Norfolk. These are shown in italics below.

### Match 1 v Cambridge University

| 19, 21 May |
| 19, 21 May | West Indians 117 | v | Cambridge University 179 | Lost by 9 wickets Cambridge |
| 19, 21 May | 208 | | 89/1 |

### Match 2 v Sussex

| 23, 24 May |
| 23, 24 May | West Indians 213 | v | Sussex 190 | Won by 26 runs Hove |
| 23, 24 May | 75 | | 72 |

### Match 3 v M.C.C.

| 26, 28, 29 May |
| 26, 28, 29 May | M.C.C. 228 | v | West Indians 121/8 | Drawn Lord's |

### Match 4 v Hampshire

| May 30,31 |
| May 30,31 | Hampshire 143 | v | West Indians 112 | Lost by 144 runs Southampton |
| May 30,31 | 252/8 (dec) | | 139 |

### Match 5 v Middlesex

| 2, 4, 5 June |
| 2, 4, 5 June | Middlesex 337 | v | West Indians 264 | Lost by 70 runs Lord's |
| 2, 4, 5 June | 82 | | 75 |

### Match 6 v Oxford University

| 6, 7, 8 June |
| 6, 7, 8 June | Oxford University 390/6 (dec) | v | West Indians 388 | Won by 8 wickets Oxford |
| 6, 7, 8 June | 178 | | 183/2 |

### Match 7 v Essex

| 9, 11, 12 June |
| 9, 11, 12 June | Essex 148 | v | West Indians 289 | Won by 3 wickets Ilford |
| 9, 11, 12 June | 233 | | 93/7 |

### Match 8 v Durham

| 13, 14 June |
| 13, 14 June | West Indians 125 | v | Durham 63 | Won by 180 runs Darlington |
| 13, 14 June | 192 | | 74 |

### Match 9 v Northumberland

| 15, 16 June |
| 15, 16 June | West Indians 286 | v | Northumberland 118 | Won by an innings and 9 runs Newcastle |
| 15, 16 June | | | 159 |

### Match 10 v Derbyshire

| 20, 21, 22 June |
| 20, 21, 22 June | West Indians 97 | v | Derbyshire 75 | Drawn Buxton |
| 20, 21, 22 June | 36/2 | | |

### Match 11 v Northamptonshire

| 23, 25, 26 June |
| 23, 25, 26 June | West Indians 324/5 (dec) | v | Northamptonshire 229 | Drawn Northampton |

### Match 12 v Lancashire

| 23, 25, 26 June |
| 23, 25, 26 June | Lancashire 405 | v | West Indians 215 | Drawn Old Trafford |
| 23, 25, 26 June | 121/5 | | 309 |

### Match 13 v Cheshire

| 27, 28, 29 June |
| 27, 28, 29 June | West Indians 299 | v | Cheshire 162 | Won by 140 runs Macclesfield |
| 27, 28, 29 June | 93/5 (dec) | | 90 |

### Match 14 v Nottinghamshire

| 30, 2, 3 June July |
| 30, 2, 3 June July | Nottinghamshire 353 | v | West Indians 317 | Drawn Trent Bridge |
| 30, 2, 3 June July | 345 | | 219/0 |

### Match 15 v Leicestershire

| 4, 5, 6 July |
| 4, 5, 6 July | West Indians 385 | v | Leicestershire 242 | Drawn Leicester |
| 4, 5, 6 July | 109/4 (dec) | | 179/7 |

### Match 16 v Wiltshire

| 11, 12 July |
| 11, 12 July | West Indians 356/8 (dec) | v | Wiltshire 110 | Won by an innings and 34 runs Swindon |
| 11, 12 July | | | 212 |

### Match 17 v Warwickshire

| 14, 16 July |
| 14, 16 July | Warwickshire 240 | v | West Indians 321 | Won by 9 wickets Edgbaston |
| 14, 16 July | 104 | | 24/1 |

### Match 18 v Lord Harris' XI

| 20, 21 July |
| 20, 21 July | Lord Harris's XI 117 | v | West Indians 80 | Won by 3 wickets Belmont |
| 20, 21 July | 126 | | 164/7 |

### Match 19 v Dublin University

| 23, 24 July |
| 23, 24 July | Dublin University Cricket Club 100 | v | West Indians 170 | Won by 8 wickets Dublin |
| 23, 24 July | 118 | | 51/2 |

### Match 20 v Northern Cricket Union

| 25, 26 July |
| 25, 26 July | West Indians 158 | v | Northern Cricket Union 131 | Drawn Belfast |
| 25, 26 July | 161 | | 142/8 |

### Match 21 v Gloucestershire

| 28, 30, 31 July |
| 28, 30, 31 July | Gloucestershire 211 | v | West Indians 235 | Drawn Bristol |

### Match 22 v Surrey

| 1, 2, 3 August |
| 1, 2, 3 August | Surrey 87 | v | West Indians 305 | Won by 10 wickets The Oval |
| 1, 2, 3 August | 336 | | 121/0 |

### Match 23 v Glamorgan

| 4, 6, 7 August |
| 4, 6, 7 August | Glamorgan 115 | v | West Indians 201 | Lost by 43 runs Cardiff |
| 4, 6, 7 August | 324 | | 195 |

### Match 24 v Somerset

| 8, 9, 10 August |
| 8, 9, 10 August | West Indians 306 | v | Somerset 112 | Won by 190 runs Weston-super-Mare |
| 8, 9, 10 August | 134 | | 130 |

### Match 25 v Kent

| 18, 19, 20 August |
| 18, 19, 20 August | Kent 205 | v | West Indians 154 | Lost 171 runs Canterbury |
| 18, 19, 20 August | 250/8 (dec) | | 130 |

### Match 26 v Norfolk

| 22, 23, 24 August |
| 22, 23, 24 August | West Indians 204 | v | Norfolk 94 | Won by 231 runs Norwich |
| 22, 23, 24 August | 206/4 (dec) | | 85 |

### Match 27 v Worcestershire

| 19, 30, 31 August |
| 19, 30, 31 August | Worcestershire 223 | v | West Indians 145 | Drawn Worcester |
| 19, 30, 31 August | 175/8 | | |

### Match 28 v H.D.G Leveson-Gower's XI

| 3, 4, 5 September |
| 3, 4, 5 September | West Indians 110 | v | H.D.G. Leveson-Gower's XI 218 | Lost by 4 wickets Scarborough |
| 3, 4, 5 September | 135 | | 31/6 |

### Summary

Of the 20 first-class matches played, 6 matches were won, 7 were lost and 7 were drawn. In all matches 13 were won, 7 were lost and 8 were drawn.

## Post Tour

Except for Jamaican players the team returned on board the steam ship "Ingoma" departing Southampton on 9 September and arriving in Barbados on the 21st.

## Averages

The following averages are for the 20 first-class matches only.

### Batting

| Player | P | I | NO | R | HS | Ave | 100 | 50 | C/S |
| G Challenor | 20 | 35 | 5 | 1556 | 155* | 51.86 | 6 | 8 | 4 |
| MP Fernandes | 11 | 19 | 4 | 523 | 110 | 34.86 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| JA Small | 18 | 27 | 2 | 776 | 94 | 31.04 | – | 7 | 20 |
| HBG Austin | 11 | 16 | 2 | 360 | 76 | 25.71 | – | 2 | 4 |
| PH Tarilton | 17 | 28 | 2 | 554 | 109* | 21.30 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| RK Nunes | 15 | 24 | 1 | 455 | 89 | 19.78 | – | 3 | - |
| HW Ince | 16 | 26 | 3 | 381 | 46* | 16.56 | – | – | 3 |
| LN Constantine | 20 | 31 | 4 | 425 | 77 | 15.74 | – | 2 | 15 |
| JK Holt | 12 | 19 | 0 | 293 | 56 | 15.42 | – | 2 | 6 |
| G John | 10 | 13 | 4 | 108 | 44* | 12.00 | – | – | 5 |
| GN Francis | 15 | 22 | 4 | 207 | 41 | 11.50 | – | – | 15 |
| CR Browne | 18 | 26 | 2 | 258 | 24* | 10.75 | – | – | 14 |
| VS Pascall | 19 | 28 | 7 | 222 | 40 | 10.57 | – | – | 11 |
| GAR Dewhurst | 15 | 23 | 5 | 182 | 52 | 10.11 | – | 1 | 20/5 |
| CV Hunter | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 5.00 | – | – | - |
| RL Phillips | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | - |
In all 28 matches G Challenor was leading run scorer with 1967. JA Small with 1169 also reached 1000 runs.

### Bowling

| Player | O | M | R | W | BB | Ave | 5i | 10m |
| GN Francis | 505.5 | 119 | 1278 | 82 | 6/33 | 15.58 | 5 | 2 |
| G John | 363.2 | 84 | 956 | 49 | 7/52 | 19.51 | 2 | 1 |
| LN Constantine | 244.4 | 39 | 809 | 37 | 5/48 | 21.86 | 1 | - |
| CR Browne | 696 | 171 | 1672 | 75 | 7/97 | 22.29 | 4 | - |
| VS Pascall | 470.5 | 92 | 1263 | 52 | 6/77 | 24.28 | 2 | - |
| G Challenor | 17 | 3 | 54 | 2 | 2/17 | 27.00 | – | - |
| JA Small | 196 | 28 | 636 | 19 | 5/93 | 33.47 | 1 | - |
| JK Holt | 25 | 4 | 80 | 1 | 1/22 | 80.00 | – | - |
| RL Phillips | 7 | 0 | 21 | 0 | | | | |
In all 28 matches GN Francis took 102 wickets. G John took exactly 100 wickets.