West Indies and Australia at Kensington Oval: A Rivalry for the Ages
Wed, Jun 25, '25
Bridgetown June 25, 2025
Kensington Oval, once the mecca for fast bowlers in the region and an impregnable fortress of West Indies cricket, boasts a proud history. From its inaugural test in 1930 until the mid-90s West Indies were undefeated at the Oval save for a solitary loss to England in 1935. But the most unforgettable memories at the Oval are from the rivalry between West Indies and Australia during the second half of the 20 th century. From that epic Atkinson and Depeiaza match-saving partnership in 1955 to Brian Lara’s sensational match-winning performance to end the 90s decade, Kensington Oval has served up some mouthwatering contests during that period between these two giants of world cricket.
On Wednesday, the two teams will continue their storied rivalry that began 70 years ago in 1955 at Kensington Oval during Australia’s maiden tour of the region. That game is best remembered for the record-breaking 7 th wicket partnership of 347 runs between two Barbadians, skipper Dennis Atkinson (219) and Clairmont Depeiaza (122). In fact, six Barbadians played in that game including the 3 Ws and Gary Sobers. My dear friend, Tony Gilkes, then a wide-eyed 10 year old, was at the Oval that day. Gilkes would later go on to play for Spartan in the Barbados Division 1 in the late 60s sharing the dressing room with such illustrious teammates as Cammie Smith, David Holford, Peter Lashley, and Tony Howard. I spoke with Gilkes earlier this week about that game in 1955. “I remember a 19-year old Gary Sobers opening against the legendary Lindwall and Miller and smashing them all over the park", he told me. Sobers made 43 laced with 10 boundaries. It was just desserts for Lindwall and Miller who had earlier hit centuries in Australia’s first innings. But the fearsome Aussies struck back removing Sobers, the three Ws, and Collie Smith to leave West Indies tottering at 147 for 6 in reply to their total of 668. Enter Atkinson and Depeiaza and the rest, as they say, is history. Gilkes recalled, “Everyone thought the game was over and very few people came the next day to the Oval. The two of them batted for two days. No one could believe it!"
The two teams met again at the Oval 10 years later in 1965. Tony Gilkes was also at that game and remembers that, “a reporter from the Advocate News, after bouncing a ball on the pitch to test the bounce, wrote that the wicket will be pacy". Lawry and Simpson both registered double centuries in an opening stand of 382. Bob Cowper, at number 3, smashed a hundred, and Norman O’Neill, at 4, made 51. The pacers, Hall, Griffith, and Sobers all went for 100+, as did spinner Lance Gibbs. Australia declared their innings closed at 650 for 6. In 1955, the Aussie attack was spearheaded by Lindwall and Miller. This time around it was the fearsome Neil Hawke and Graham McKenzie.
Gilkes recalled the Aussies sending back Butcher and Bryan Davis early before Hunte (75) and Kanhai (129) and later, Kanhai and Nurse (201), came to the rescue. “It was an exhibition in strokeplay from Kanhai, Hunte, and Nurse", said Gilkes. “Youngsters at the game got a lesson in batsmanship that day". It was pure technique, scintillating in its beauty. Australia’s top three bowlers, Hawke, McKenzie, and Philpott all went for 100+. The wicket might have been pacy
but batsmen on both sides were up to the challenge. As Nurse was famous for saying, “when the game is big, you bat big".
The third time these two teams met at the Oval was in 1973, and like the previous two, it ended in a draw. But do not, for a fleeting moment, think this game was any less exciting. For the first time in 20 years, West Indies were without the incomparable Gary Sobers. Rohan Kanhai led the team with a batting lineup that included Fredericks, Geoffrey Greenidge, Rowe, Kallicharran, Foster, and Deryck Murray. The Aussies boasted the Chappell brothers, Stackpole, Redpath, Walters and Rodney Marsh. Greg Chappell, arguably the finest batsman of the 70s, made a sumptuous hundred, and the Aussies closed on 324. With “Tanglefoot" Walker sending back Greenidge, Rowe, and Kallicharran in quick time, West Indies were in trouble at 179 for 5. But Kanhai and Murray came to the rescue with a 150 plus partnership. Kanhai played a captain’s knock registering another century at the Oval to go with the one in 1965, and earned West Indies a first innings lead of 67. Early hopes of forcing a result were quickly dashed as Ian Chappell and Doug Walters both hit centuries in the second innings. Kensington Oval just seemed to bring out the very best of these two teams.
Their fourth encounter at the Oval in 1978 finally yielded a result. But the game itself was a farce. The Australian selectors dropped all their star players who signed with Kerry Packer. A 42-year old Bobby Simpson was called out of retirement to lead a group of rookies against the fearsome attack of Roberts, Garner, and Croft. It was like lambs to the slaughter. Graham Yallop became the first batsman to wear a helmet. The game ended in three days with West Indies winning by 9 wickets to go with their innings victory in the first test in Port of Spain. Despite the one-sided contest, Kensington Oval once again served up something to savour. After dismissing the Aussies, West Indies had an hour to negotiate before the end of the day’s play. A fired-up Jeff Thomson delivered an unforgettable spell of speed and hostility to match anything seen before or after at the Oval. He sent back Greenidge, Kallicharran, and Richards but not before they all wore body blows from deliveries that climbed off the pitch. Thomson was making full use of Kensington’s reputation as the mecca for fast bowlers. Dropped off Thomson before he had scored, Richards counter-attacked licking him for two fours and a six, but the Aussie had the last laugh snaring Richards with the final ball of the day.
The 80s decade indisputably belonged to the West Indies and Kensington Oval was the altar for the numerous coup de grâce. West Indies won 12 tests on the trot against every opponent during that period before losing to England in 1994. It was West Indies’ first loss at the Oval in 60 years since the defeat by England in 1935. In between, West Indies played Australia twice more at the Oval winning by ten wickets in 1984, and by 343 runs in 1991. Australia finally pulled one back in 1994 winning by 10 wickets. The decade ended with the Brian Lara masterclass rated as one of the finest innings ever played as he led West Indies to a one wicket victory.
West Indies and Australia met three times at Kensington Oval in the 21st century with Australia coming away victorious on each occasion. Since that first encounter in 1955, these two teams battled 11 times at Kensington Oval and the score card reads four wins each with three draws. On Wednesday, the two teams will resume friendly fire at the Oval. Aussies are favourites, but may still be smarting from that devastating loss to South Africa two weeks ago in the World Test
Championship final. On the other hand, West Indies will have fond memories of their most recent encounter in Brisbane in 2024. Guyanese Shamar Joseph sent down an inspired, match winning spell of fearsome fast bowling to knock over the Australians with figures of 7 for 68. Can Shamar Joseph give a repeat performance at the historic Kensington Oval this week? Your guess is as good as mine.
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