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HEADLINE: David Lloyd picks Wes Hall

 
CaribbeanCricket.com 2020-04-27 06:19:14 

I spent my formative years at Accrington Cricket Club where we had some fantastic professionals.

I'm talking about the likes of Bobby Simpson, Wes Hall, Eddie Barlow, and a lovely Indian chap called SK Girdhari who finished up working for the NHS up in Lancaster.

SK was a real gent and a good coach but Wes captured the imagination. He was our pro from 1960-62 and he was an enormous fella, let me tell you.

As you'd expect from a West Indies opening bowler he was fast and a formidable sight as he ran in with his shirt open and a chain flying around his neck.

Read more at Sky Sports


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Dukes 2020-04-27 14:39:52 

Anyone who has had the good fortune to meet Wes Hall comes away thinking that he is one of the nicest persons in the world.He is a very garrulous, debonair guy who has a tremendous sense of humor.I met him in 1968 at the Mecca.I was with Manny Martindale's son and as soon as he heard I was from Guyana he launched into stories about Bourda,Rohan Kanhai and the Park Hotel.I was 11 and I was blown away.

 
Oilah 2020-04-27 16:08:02 

In reply to Dukes

Fortunate to know Wes because he was a friend of my father. Funny, very friendly the life of a lime smile

 
ponderiver 2020-04-27 18:00:17 

loved Wes First saw him in my first ever test match. WI v England at Sabina Park
when umpire Sang Hue gave Basil Butcher. out . it was pandemonium in di place bottles , stones . Cowdrey and the rest had to run, the game was called off for the day.

The next day Wes nearly won it fuh the west indies. He was quite a sight in full cry

 
Dukes 2020-04-27 20:39:57 

In reply to ponderiver

You certainly had a fantastic test match first up.The man of that match was none other than GS Sobers who after getting a duck in the first innings, crafted an unbeaten century on a minefield of a pitch then took the new ball and after that first over, England were NOWT FOR TWO with both Boycott and Cowdrey out without troubling the scorers.

I read a book about that series and the writer talking about the Butcher dismissal relayed a story he was told by a former Jamaica cricketer.He said that in backyard cricket if a fielder takes a low catch, the batsman challenges the fielder to show him the back of his hand.If there is dirt the batsman is not out because they mistakenly think that a catch is not legal if your hand is touching the ground.

 
Casper 2020-04-27 21:03:04 

In reply to Dukes

My ever-lasting memory of Wes is of him coming in from the South-end at Kensington Oval - shirt opened about navel level, gold chain flying and that instantly recognizable high arm action unfurling a snorter in the direction of the unfortunate person facing him at the other end.

In the 60s local 1st Divison Club cricket was the real chance for a youngster like me to get up close to see some crickets greats. Nothing could beat a Saturday afternoon in Queens Park to watch a Spartan vs Empire clash. Turning out for Spartan were the likes of Wes Hall, George Rock (the most unfortunate fast bowler never to have played at a higher level, but for being around in the age of Hall and Griffith), Peter Lashley, David Holford, and Cammie Smith; and for Empire, my club, were yesteryear's greats like Everton Weekes, Seymour Nurse, Rawle Branker and my boyhood favorite Charlie Griffith, just to name a few. The crowd would be packed like sardines in a can and tree limbs could barely hold the weight of the bravest to venture as high enough, and far out for the best view of the proceedings.

Reading that piece by Lloyd, what stood out for me, more so than the story, is the image of Charlie Griffith, capturing in all its stillness, the raw power, the ferocity, and imagined speed of one of the most feared bowlers in the history of the game. That's my boyhood idol, Charlie.

 
openning 2020-04-27 23:38:30 

In reply to Casper

In the 60s local 1st Divison Club cricket was the real chance for a youngster like me to get up close to see some crickets greats. Nothing could beat a Saturday afternoon in Queens Park to watch a Spartan vs Empire clash. Turning out for Spartan were the likes of Wes Hall, George Rock (the most unfortunate fast bowler never to have played at a higher level, but for being around in the age of Hall and Griffith), Peter Lashley, David Holford, and Cammie Smith; and for Empire, my club, were yesteryear's greats like Everton Weekes, Seymour Nurse, Rawle Branker and my boyhood favorite Charlie Griffith, just to name a few. The crowd would be packed like sardines in a can and tree limbs could barely hold the weight of the bravest to venture as high enough, and far out for the best view of the proceedings.

I started playing cricket in 1957, from listening to the West Indies playing in England.
After that tour, Spartan was playing Empire in the park, my Tea-Goolie gave me $1, and my mom allowed me to go and see the game.
Spartan batted first, was bowled out about an hour before close, the Anthony Mayers and the young Star, which everyone came to see, had the fans on their knees.
Te entire day was like peeping through a Key hole, I was small, short and tiny, my first 1st division match.
Empire finally got light that evening, but seeing Mayers from one end, and Wes from the other end, and the crowd going wild, was quite exciting.
My older brother went to watch the game the second Saturday, people wanted to see Sir Everton vs Wes, that was short live, as Sir Everton did not last long, out to Wes, which made it worst for us Blue fans.
As I got into my teens, and going to private lessons, 10-15 minutes from queens park, I was able to see Wes, numerous times.
BTW, I could not stand Spartan, the light fading, Hall and Mayers running in, the batsman asked for light, and Cammie Smith, refused to give them light. Sir Everton, gave light as soon as the batsman asked.
The one and only time I had spoken to Wes, was visiting a Calypso tent my first Kaddoment, I got to the tent about 7:00pm, Wes came about 7:30 and asked me, how come I am so early to the show.
We had a good laugh, he explaining to me, the show starts much later in the night.

 
ponderiver 2020-04-28 00:26:57 

In reply to Dukes

It is true we didn't accept a catch as legal if the back of the fielders hands touched the ground.
It was years before i realised that it was a local custom
cool

 
Casper 2020-04-28 06:58:59 

In reply to openning

I remember Antony Mayers. His chest was as broad as he was tall. I recall one match with Empire at the same Queen's Park, he was bowling from the South end and kept bowling it short to Everton Weekes, who cut him three consecutive times on the full in the direction of the Spartan Pavilion. As a young boy, you had to keep your eyes on the action, because those boundaries were very short and those balls would be coming at you very fast, especially if you were near the boundary edge.

Check out this little history Barbados cricket in those days. Some of these names would bring back some memories of your younger days.

 
openning 2020-04-28 13:29:11 

In reply to Casper

Tony Mayers chest was as big as St.John, I believe that where he was from.
As a youth going to Queens park, you were able to watch two 1st Division matches, HC school and ground was next door.
Empire consisted of
Everton Weekes, Lionel William, Rawle Branker, Seymore Nurse, Francis Scott, who looked good, but could not buy a run, Charlie Griffith, to name a few.
Spartan; Cammie Smith, Peter Lashley, Wes Hall, George Rock, Tony Mayers, David Holford, Tony Howard just to name a few.
I was about 5ft 2ins, when I started watching cricket at the Park, 2-3 thousand people at the ground, I had to find a spot to watch the game.
Bank Hall was just as bad.

 
Casper 2020-04-28 14:05:48 

In reply to openning

As a youngster, in the summertime, I used to board with my eldest sister on King Edwards Road, so I was a skip and a hop from the Empire Cricket Club, thus my association with the club.

 
tc1 2020-04-28 16:01:02 

In reply to Casper

George Rock was. good bowler, My first year in HS, George fresh from being one of the top bowlers in the regionals, came to CP for an Alumni game, The school boys had an opening stand of more than 150 on Rockie,
I think that Rockie life style may had a impact on not go on the play international cricket.
It was said that if you live in StJames and miss the” theatre “ bus , just wait at Eagle Hall and either Rockie or his partner Briggs Robinson will give you a ride at 1am.

 
sudden 2020-04-28 16:52:57 

In reply to tc1

it was also said you had to pay a fee to Briggs for that ride.

how many times you miss the theatre bus? big grin

 
tc1 2020-04-28 19:10:55 

In reply to sudden

I was home, I went to 430 at the Empire, not the globe. lol lol

 
openning 2020-04-28 19:25:02 

In reply to tc1

give you a ride at 1am.

Thats why I went to the 4:30 shows, the last last bus to Sugar Hill was 11:00pm.

 
openning 2020-04-28 19:29:18 

In reply to tc1
I used to get my exercise every Saturday, went to Lessons at J O Morris in Pinfold street, then I would walk to areas close to the city, to see the Blues play.
Darrell Road,The Park, Kensington, Carlton and Bank Hall
Did Tony Mayers played for Barbados?

 
tc1 2020-04-28 23:49:43 

In reply to openning

Mayers played a couple games for him,

 
Casper 2020-04-29 02:37:13 

In reply to tc1

Mayers played a couple games for him,
You meant Bim.

Yes, indeed. He was twice selected.

He was born under a bad moon. lol lol Wrong place, wrong time, in the Age of Hall and Griffith.

BTW, is he still around?