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Development of the West Indian Test captaincy
January 1928

H.B.G.Austin, President of the new West Indies Cricket Board of Control, assumed captaincy of the first Test-playing tour of England in 1928. However, at the age of 50, he was to stand aside before the tour.

Karl Nunes appointed captain instead for inaugural West Indies tour of England. "Leadership was a white function. So in the economy, so in cricket." M.C.C. Committee member Mr R.H.Mallett, 70, was charged to act as West Indian team manager, as he had done in 1906 and 1923.

February 1930 The West Indies Board named different captains for the four Tests against touring M.C.C. from the colony where each match was played - Teddy Hoad in Barbados, Maurice Fernandes at Georgetown and Karl Nunes at Kingston. 42 year-old Nelson Betancourt was the choice in Trinidad for his sole Test appearance.

April 1930

R.H.Mallett, about to return to England after managing the 1929-30 MCC touring party, met the West Indies Board and recommended G.C. 'Jack' Grant as captain for the Australian tour, even though Grant had no experience of captaincy and had never played in West Indies before. In his biography Grant confessed " I was younger than all of the sixteen players, save three; and most of these sixteen had already played for the West Indies, while I had not. Yet I was the captain. It could not be disputed that my white colour was a major factor in my being given this post.”

"A policy at the time was to choose a nucleus of six players for the Test team and then complete the eleven with others from the `home' territory," wrote Michael Manley. This is a bit of an exaggeration - a nucleus of seven or eight perhaps, because team selection was now in the hands of the West Indies Cricket Board rather than the colony where the Test match was played.

1933 to 1934-35

Grant became Headmaster of Grenada Secondary School but was retained as West Indian captain for the 1933 tour of England and for the visit by MCC in 1934-35.

When injury forced Grant to leave the field in the Kingston Test, he asked Learie Constantine to take over.

1938-39

The Board appointed one selector to represent each region: For the 1939 tour party William Bowring (Barbados) took the chair with Vernon Dias (British Guiana), Joseph Kelshall (Trinidad) and Noel 'Crab' Nethersole (Jamaica). Barbadian John Kidney became tour manager because he was in England in 1939. "In selecting captains .. the authorities were not consciously against Headley and Constantine…… the selectors acted to preserve opportunity for their own class… confident that the best interests of the sport were being protected." (Michael Manley)

February 1939

When Jackie Grant gave up cricket to become a missionary (like his grandfather), his brother Rolph Grant became captain for the 1939 tour rather than George Headley  "The appointment of Rolph Grant was historically necessary, for British colonialism based itself on the idea that the colonised were inferior people who were incapable of self-rule. The whites in the colonies subscribed to this fallacy, so they could not appoint a black skipper : to do so would have been tantamount to rejecting the cardinal logic of colonialism."

1947-48

"N.N. Nethersole, lawyer and deputy leader of Norman Manley's People's National Party, launched his campaign on George Headley's behalf." He challenged the Cricket Board's outlook that property ownership endows with the characteristics of leadership. '"[His] constancy and judgement, necessary for national and international negotiation, may well have been sharpened by the arguments and the efforts to avoid pitfalls of insularity in selection in the board room of the West Indian Cricket Board of Control.'

For one Test in Barbados George Headley became the first black man appointed to captain West Indies. But then Gerry Gomez and John Goddard were given the captaincy in the remainder of the series against England.

1948-49

John Goddard was appointed for the tour of India, and a year later after some hesitation confirmed that he would also be available to lead West Indies in England in 1950.

The selectors were Edgar Marsden (Trinidad), Noel Nethersole (Jamaica), Frederick Clairmonte (Barbados) and Arthur Drayton or Maurice Green (British Guiana), while the on-tour committee was simply made up of the white members of the team - Goddard, Gomez and Stollmeyer.

April 1951

Goddard retained as captain for tour of Australia. However, his criticisms of the Board for agreeing to the match itinerary for the Australian tour led to him being excluded from West Indian team for three years. During the series against Australia, West Indies lost 4-1, as the senior players declined to offer him any on the field advice after they felt he had taken all the credit for the victory in England in 1950. "He succumbed to his own tactical deficiencies" (Michael Manley).

1952-53

Jeffrey Stollmeyer became captain starting with a Test series against the visiting 1953 Indians. His cricket knowledge unquestionably made him worthy of the position of captain.

1954-55

Denis Atkinson, Stollmeyer's deputy, led West Indies in three of the five Tests against Australia. "About 2,000 people protested, at the Kingston Race Course, against the appointment of Atkinson, the Barbados all-rounder, as captain of the West Indies for the fourth and fifth Tests against the Australians. They wanted Frank Worrell, who was named vice-captain."

1955-56

Atkinson nevertheless was kept on as captain of a West Indies team to New Zealand 1955-56 with John Goddard manager (these appointments made nearly two years before the tour so they were not connected with Atkinson being rewarded for scoring a double century against Australia).

WI Board representatives such as Noel Peirce (Barbados) continued to man the selection panel but non-whites like the British Guiana secretary Ken Wishart who had opposed Atkinson's captaincy, and Berkeley Gaskin, and players a cut above like Gerry Gomez began to be appointed, as in 1957.

October 1956

For the 1957 England tour "John Goddard was restored from retirement as captain (passing over more suitable candidates in Jeffrey Stollmeyer and even Denis Atkinson), and Clyde Walcott replaced Worrell as vice-captain – it was still several years before a black man could be accepted as full captain. He (Walcott) would not have been the “easier option” which the administrators had imagined."

Goddard was a failure as captain. "That his selection in 1957 was a travesty was not his fault" (Manley).

1958''

Gerry Alexander appointed captain for home series against Pakistan 1957-58 and for next two years. An “Alexander Must Go” campaign was mounted by CLR James, then the editor of The Nation. "The idea of Alexander captaining a side on which Frank Worrell is playing," he wrote, "is to me quite revolting."

1960

"Alexander told the selectors that the time had come for Worrell to take over the leadership but they pressed him to continue. He eventually agreed with some reluctance" (Manley). As the last white man to captain West Indies was leading the Test side against England, it was announced that Frank Worrell would take the team to Australia.

1960-61 to 1963

Gerry Gomez was appointed Chairman of Selectors and also manager of the tour of Australia. "I shall not let this question rest" wrote C L R James in The Nation, "This fooling with West Indies' captaincy has gone on too long".

Worrell was at last captain on the Australia and England tours, and proved to be an outstanding captain. "Graceful, poised and dignified, Worrell embodied all that was noble and deeply attractive in the West Indian character. Articulate, sensitive and West Indian to the core, he gave substance to the view that unity should be the hallmark of the region and its cricket team. He transformed a bunch of talented and individual players into a unified team." Allan Rae, former opening batsman and a lawyer who would soon become a catalyst for progress on the Board, was now a selector.

1964

On Worrell's retirement, Garfield Sobers took over as captain while Sir Frank Worrell was made team manager against Australia 1964-65. Sobers led West Indies in 39 Test matches and won series victories against all comers.

March 1967

Worrell's potential managerial contribution to West Indies cricket was cut short by his early death.

March 1968

Sobers faltered at Port of Spain, in the 4th Test against England when his declaration on the final day saw England scramble home with just three minutes left in the game. Team manager Everton Weekes distanced himself from the decision to make the declaration.

West Indies did not win another series under Sobers.

Jeffrey Stollmeyer stood in as selector for Gomez, while Berkeley Gaskin chaired the selection panel. Clyde Walcott and Everton Weekes were also eventually invited onto the selection panel. Walcott became team manager.

1970

Sobers captained the Rest of The World sides against England (and again in Australia). At the end of the series the "politically unconscious Sobers" (Manley)  participated in a double wicket tournament in Rhodesia, causing uproar and demands that he should be sacked as captain. He was forced to apologise, and, with no alternative captain in view, "a grateful Caribbean grabbed the apology with both hands." (Manley)

1973

Sobers declared himself unavailable as a player on being asked by the West Indies Cricket Board of Control to prove his fitness, so he was replaced as captain by Rohan Kanhai for the 1973 home series against Australia. Sobers had "… led a strong side effectively but not shown the capacity to lift a weak or ageing side" (Manley)

Kanhai retained the captaincy for the 1973 tour of England, which West Indies won 2-0. "Kanhai is credited with restoring both discipline and morale to the side" (Manley).

Suggestions of regional bias caused by each territory having a representative on the selection panel led to a reduction to three selectors only. This panel would be joined by the captain.

Clyde Walcott became Chairman of Selectors, with John Holt and Joe Solomon serving on his panel. The West Indies Board now contained a majority of former Test players.

25 May 1974

Clive Lloyd appointed captain for 1974-75 tour of India. Lloyd lasted as captain for ten years working to make cricketers from different nations and backgrounds a proud, unified team throughout his time.

Won the one-day World Cup tournaments in 1975 and again in 1979.

1976

West Indies retained the Wisden Trophy against England 3-0: "A third factor is apt to be overlooked because of the brilliance of the batting and bowling. It was Lloyd's captaincy. He led his men with a sure touch, kept them together, maintained discipline and began to act as the father figure of the side" (Manley). Clyde Walcott resumed as team manager, "As a manager who had played the game, he lent credibility to what he was trying to instill in the players," said Deryck Murray

1977-78

Clive Lloyd joined Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket (WSC) in 1977.

He quit the West Indies captaincy when Haynes, Austin and Murray were dropped from the team for playing in Packer's World Series and all the remaining WSC members in the team including Richards, Greenidge, Garner, Roberts and Holding also immediately dropped out.

Joey Carew became Chairman of Selectors, with Clyde Walcott and John Holt on the panel. Alvin Kallicharran made captain for remainder of series against Australia and on tour of India.

1979-80

Clive Lloyd reinstated for the 1979 World Cup and 1979-80 tour of Australia. Walcott was again World Cup manager.

Apologies were required after players made indisciplined responses to umpiring decisions in New Zealand. Willie Rodriguez was then Manager. Dennis Waight, engaged as trainer and physio, enforced a rigorous training regime.

1982–83

A West Indian rebel team led by Lawrence Rowe toured South Africa. It included players like Alvin Kallicharran, Colin Croft, Collis King and Sylvester Clarke. Deprived of its full-strength, on 20 July 1983 West Indies lost the World Cup to India.

1983-4

Lloyd was persuaded to change his mind after 1983 World Cup and stay on as captain for the tour of India and a triangular ODI tournament.

1984-85

Clive Lloyd's career as West Indies captain came to an end after series in Australia.

1985

Vivian Richards appointed captain starting with ODI series in Pakistan. Vice-captain Desmond Haynes captained the West Indies touring party on a Test visit to Pakistan.

1991

Viv Richards retires as West Indies Test captain. "He was impatient with error... but commanded respect and loyalty of the troops whom he led because he was a great player" (Manley).

1991-92

Jackie Hendricks was Chairman of selectors when the Board appointed Richie Richardson. Desmond Haynes, the man being groomed for the role and Richards' vice-captain, was elbowed out of the captaincy ….. "that was when the Board failed to understand the importance of the influence of Haynes as a senior member of the Lloyd/Richards era being needed to make the transition, to bring the culture, the work ethic and the spirit of domination to another group."

1992

A poor showing by the West Indies in the 1992 World Cup in Australia and a young team reeling from the retirement of Richards, Greenidge and Marshall led to the West Indies calling on Rohan Kanhai as their first coach, appointed by the WICB in autumn 1992. He was in charge of coaching Jamaica before being assigned to the Test team.

1994

Courtney Walsh appointed stand-in captain for the tours of India and New Zealand after Richie Richardson was ordered to rest because of "acute fatigue syndrome".

Kanhai complained about disciplinary problems among the West Indian players, and relinquished the job in 1995 as Andy Roberts steps up to take over as coach.

1994-95

Richardson returned as captain for the home series against Australia

"WICB's controversial eligibility rule was used to exclude Haynes, the Barbadian batsmen, from the home series against Australia. Haynes, who was 39 at the time, had missed one match during that year's regional competition because of a professional contract with Western Province in South Africa and was left out of the West Indies team"

1995

Wes Hall manager in England with Andy Roberts as coach. Disciplinary measures needed : Winston Benjamin was sent home from the tour of England.

1996

At the end of the 1996 World Cup during which Richie Richardson resigned as captain, Andy Roberts was sacked as coach, and Wes Hall ended his term as team manager.

March 1996

Courtney Walsh becomes captain. The WICB persuaded Clive Lloyd who lived in England and was detached from the politics of West Indies cricket, to become Manager. Lloyd was first made coach for the home series against New Zealand. Walsh given a say in selection but Lloyd said that as Manager he should be on the selection panel proper, not simply on tour.

October 1996

Malcolm Marshall was made coach with Lloyd's backing. Clive Lloyd was formally appointed manager on a three-year contract.

January 1998

Brian Lara appointed West Indies captain to succeed Courtney Walsh, who was sacked after West Indies tour of Pakistan. (Walsh did well initially with series wins over New Zealand, India and Sri Lanka. A loss to Australia and a whitewash in Pakistan followed)

The WICB rejected the selectors' recommendation of Brian Lara as captain instead of Courtney Walsh but Lara nevertheless appointed.

1998-99

Holed up in a London Airport hotel on its way to South Africa, the team made pay demands : Lara as captain and Hooper as vice captain were sacked, then reinstated. "The junior players found themselves dragged into a dispute in which the seniors were largely seeking a pay increase for themselves".

West Indies manager Clive Lloyd thought it was a mistake to go ahead with 1998-99 South Africa tour after the players' protest over pay and conditions, made in London between planes to South Africa.

WIBC said players would now make their own report on the performance of the manager and coach after each series.

March 1999

Marshall unable to continue while undergoing cancer treatment. Viv Richards carried out the coaching role during the 1999 World Cup, with manager Clive Lloyd acting as coach in Singapore and Sharjah,

Vice-captain Carl Hooper suddenly retired and withdrew from 1999 World Cup team.

October 1999

Malcolm Marshall's three-year term as coach and Lloyd's stint as manager ended. Marshall died on 4 November. Sir Vivian Richards appointed interim coach for NZ tour.

Feb 2000

On 25 February 2000 Lara resigns as West Indies captain after New Zealand defeat, owing to lack of success in two years in the post, and took a sabbatical.

March 2000

St Kitts businessman Mr Ricky Skerritt, appointed manager. Roger Harper, 39, appointed coach on a three-year contract in succession to Sir Vivian Richards.

On 5 March 2000 Jimmy Adams appointed skipper for the series at home against Zimbabwe and then in England. Franklyn Rose and Chris Gayle were not considered for the tour of Australia, according to selector Mike Findlay because of "attitude problems during the trip to England"

Dec 2000

Joe Hoad, a qualified sports psychologist and son of 1930 West Indies captain Teddy Hoad, appointed to WI team on tour.

March 2001

After two series wins, against Pakistan and Zimbabwe, and then losses to England and Australia, Jimmy Adams quits. Carl Hooper becomes captain again (coming out of retirement at age 35).

May 2001

Rumours that manager of the West Indies team, Ricky Skerritt, and coach Roger Harper would be replaced after 15 months of a three-year contract.

November 2001

Psychologist Joe Hoad at loggerheads with Skerritt. Hoad resigns citing "major problems" among the players, including general indifference, low fitness levels and an aversion to hard work.

31 March 2003

Brian Lara is appointed West Indies captain for a second time. Lara was reinstated after being persuaded by then President Wes Hall to return when Carl Hooper was dismissed after the West Indies' first round exit from the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

March 2003

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced that Bennett King will take charge of the side as Coach later this year, with Gus Logie coaching the team against the Australians in the meantime.

April 2003

King turned down the offer because the WICB unveiled him as the new coach before negotiations had been finalised. Assistant coach Gus Logie asked to carry on for the time being. The WICB apologised to King for the premature announcement.

On 16 July 2003 Gus Logie confirmed as West Indies' new senior team coach on a two year contract, having performed the role for the home series against Australia and Sri Lanka.

March 2004

Ricky Skerritt resigns as West Indies manager, following defeat in the second Test at Port-of-Spain, to take effect from the end of June 2004.

Oct 2004

Logie's post as West Indies' coach is terminated early by mutual consent. Greg Chappell is offered the post of coach as his replacement but Chappell is unable agree terms without the larger role of putting a top coaching structure in place in the Caribbean.

Tony Howard is confirmed as long-term manager.

Nov 2004

Bennett King eventually accepts the job of coach on a three-year contract up to the 2007 World Cup. King is not only a member of the selection committee, he also has the casting vote, while the captain is not to be a selector.

18 March 2005

Lara would not commit to play in the home series against South Africa during protracted dispute over individual and team sponsorship, and Shiv Chanderpaul appointed captain instead.

12 April 2006

Chanderpaul's resignation as skipper, following the tour of New Zealand. Selectors recall Brian Lara, mainly on the insistence of new Trinidadian WICB president, Ken Gordon.

April 2007

At the end of 2007 World Cup Brian Lara retires, Bennett King resigns as coach. Clive Lloyd comes back as manager.

May 2007

Mike Findlay becomes manager and David Moore is stand-in coach. Ramnaresh Sarwan appointed skipper. Chair of Selectors Gordon Greenidge says Daren Ganga was the only other person considered, but in July, Chris Gayle becomes skipper when Sarwan is injured, despite WICB having earlier vetoed his appointment.

October 2007

Six months' after King's resignation, John Dyson, formerly coach of Sri Lanka, takes over as coach. and later David Williams, the Trinidad & Tobago coach, appointed the assistant coach.

February 2008

Trinidad & Tobago's Omar Khan replaces Clive Lloyd as the team manager.