1950: OTD: A landmark day for West Indies, who won their first Test in England at the Lords

On this day in 1950, West Indies cricket reached a historic milestone by securing their first Test victory on English soil at Lord’s. This triumph not only marked a significant achievement in the cricketing world but also inspired the famous calypso song by Lord Beginner (Egbert Moore), capturing the joyous spirit of West Indian supporters. 

The atmosphere was electric as the Windrush generation, newly arrived in the UK, celebrated their team’s unexpected win. The victory was particularly sweet for its unanticipated nature. While English fans were aware of the formidable West Indian batting line-up, led by the renowned ‘three W’s’—Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes, and Clyde Walcott—they had little expectation of the bowling attack. 

The two young spinners, Sonny Ramadhin (21) and Alf Valentine (20) were virtually unknown, having played only two first-class matches each before the tour. Despite their inexperience, they quickly made a significant impact. 

Ramadhin and Valentine write history at Lord’s! 

Ramadhin and Valentine were instrumental in the series, beginning with an impressive debut at Old Trafford where Valentine took 11 wickets and Ramadhin four. At Lord’s, they continued their dominance, sharing nine wickets as England collapsed to 151 all out in just over two sessions on the second day. This followed a solid West Indies first innings total of 326, providing a substantial lead.

The West Indies’ batting prowess shone once more in their second innings, with Clyde Walcott scoring an unbeaten 168, leading the team to declare at 425 for 6. This set England a daunting target of 601 runs to win with almost two days remaining. 

England attempted to resist, with Cyril Washbrook scoring 114, but the relentless bowling of Ramadhin and Valentine proved too much. Valentine bowled 71 overs and Ramadhin 72, collectively taking nine wickets. The final breakthrough came when Frank Worrell trapped Johnny Wardle lbw, sealing England’s fate 326 runs short of their target.

The celebration that followed was unprecedented at Lord’s, with an atmosphere described by commentator John Arlott as “an atmosphere of joy such as Lord’s had never known before.” The iconic moment was immortalized in Lord Beginner’s calypso, celebrating the West Indies’ remarkable victory.

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