By Charwayne Walker
Cricket rivalry between Jamaica and British Guiana (BG) began in 1896 when the two teams met in Georgetown at Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Bourda. British Guiana won the inaugural clash by an innings and 45 runs.
In the series finale, the Guyanese won by 1 wicket. The next time these two teams would meet was October 1947, and the venue was again GCC Bourda. British Guiana was led by Peter Bayley while Jamaica was led by the legendary George Headley. The two teams played to a draw in both matches.
Four years later in 1951, British Guiana made its first official tour to Jamaica and contested two matches playing under the captaincy of fast bowler, Berkley Gaskin. The visitors lost both matches.
The BG team had no answer for the legendary leg spinner Alfred Valentine. In the first match of the series, Valentine confused all and sundry with match figures of 13 for 164, a performance that gave Jamaica its first victory over British Guiana. In the final game of the series, Valentine had garnered match figures of 9 for 203.
Series summary first match at Sabina Park, March 1951. Jamaica won by 224 runs.
Jamaica first innings – 273 all out
Neville Bonnitto – 83, John Kenneth Holt Jr. – 63, Hines Johnson – 34, Stanley Goodridge – 33. Bowling for BG, skipper Berkley Gaskin had a career best of 7 for 58 from 24.3 overs.
BG’s first innings 162 all out. Lenny Thomas – 26, Cecil Thomas – 26, John Trim – 26, Brian Patoir – 23. Bowling for Jamaica, Alfred Valentine took 7 for 52 from 21.3 overs. George Mudie took 3 for 57 from 13 overs.
Jamaica second innings – 399 all out. Neville Bonnitto – 121, Oswald Cunningham – 62, George Mudie – 52, Alfred Binns – 49, John Kenneth Holt – 37, John Prescod – 37. Bowling for BG, John Trim took 4 for 83 from 19 overs, leg spinner Brian Patoir took 3 for 90 from 15 overs.
BG second innings – 296 all out. Peter Bayley – 94, Leslie Wight – 61, Robert Christiani – 53. Bowling for Jamaica Alfred Valentine took for 6 for 112.
Final match at Sabina Park, March 1951, Jamaica won by 9 wickets.
Jamaica first innings – 519 all out. Kenneth Rickards – 195, Alfred Binns – 82, Vincent Lumsden – 60, Oswald Cunningham – 46. Bowling for BG, skipper Berkley Gaskin took 5 for 112 from 34.5 overs, Cecil Thomas 2 for 94 from 22 overs, and Brian Patoir 2 for 124 from 21 overs.
BG first innings – 256 all out. Robert Christiani – 61, P. Wight – 39, Ganesh Persaud – 33, Cecil Thomas – 25, Leslie Wight – 23, John Trim -23. Bowling for Jamaica, Alfred Valentine took 6 for 102 from 32.4 overs, Roy Miller took 3 for 78 from 29 overs.
BG second innings (follow-on) 314 all out. Leslie Wight – 64, Lennie Thomas – 60 not out, Peter Bayley – 36, Robert Christiani – 34, Brian Patoir – 32. Bowling for Jamaica Alfred Valentine took 3 for 101 from 29 overs, pacer Stanley Goodridge took 5 for 73 from 23.3 overs, and Luther Saunders took 2 for 49 from 17 overs.
Jamaica second innings (target 52) 53 for 1. Oswald Cunningham – 26 not out, John Holt Jr. – 26 not out.
According to former West Indies player and manager of the British Guiana Team, Francis De Caires, father of the late David De Caires, editor-in-chief of Stabroek News, Valentine was the deciding factor of the series. He mesmerized all the British Guiana batsmen with his sharp leg spinners. He took 22 wickets in the two-match series.
The historic 1951 British Guiana team to Jamaica:
Berkley Gaskin (captain)
Peter Bayley
Cecil Thomas
Lennie Thomas
Clifford Mc Watt
Leslie Wight
Ganesh Persaud
Brian Patoir
Peter Wight
Robert Christiani
John Trim
Leroy Jackman
Alwyn Rollox
J. Allen
Carlton Reece
