West Indian cricket team in England in 1963

The West Indian cricket team in England in 1963 played 30 first-class matches of which they won 15, lost 2 and drew 13. West Indies played five Tests and won the series against England by three matches to one, with one game drawn.

As a result of the great success of this series, England's future home Test programme was revised so that West Indies could return in 1966, much earlier than originally planned. This was done by introducing "twin tours", in which two countries would each play three Tests against England in the course of a season.

The West Indies team

* Frank Worrell (captain)
* Conrad Hunte
* Easton McMorris
* Seymour Nurse
* Basil Butcher
* Joe Solomon
* Gary Sobers
* David Allan (wicket keeper)
* Wes Hall
* Charlie Griffith
* Alfred Valentine
* Deryck Murray (wicket keeper)
* Joey Carew
* Willie Rodriguez
* Lester King
* Lance Gibbs
* Rohan Kanhai

Test matches

=First Test at Old Trafford=

West Indies (501-6 declared and 1-0) beat England (205 and 296) by ten wickets

=Second Test at Lord's=

Match drawn: West Indies 301 and 229; England 297 and 228-9

This match had a very exciting climax. When time ran out, England were six runs short of the 234 that they needed to win. The ninth wicket fell when Derek Shackleton was run out from the fourth ball of the final over. Colin Cowdrey had had his left arm broken earlier in the innings, and had retired hurt. Now he reappeared, with his arm in plaster. Luckily for him, and for England, he was not required to face a ball, David Allen playing out the remaining two deliveries.

=Third Test at Edgbaston=

England (216 and 278-9 declared) beat West Indies (186 and 81) by 217 runs

=Fourth Test at Headingley=

West Indies (397 and 229) beat England (174 and 231) by 221 runs

Fifth Test at The Oval

England (275 and 223) lost to West Indies (246 and 255-2) by 8 wickets

Run and wicket aggregates

All first-class matches

;leading batsmen::Conrad Hunte – 1367 runs @ 44.09:Gary Sobers – 1333 @ 47.60:Basil Butcher – 1294 @ 44.62:Rohan Kanhai – 1149 @ 41.03

;leading bowlers::Charlie Griffith – 119 wickets @ 12.83:Gary Sobers – 82 @ 22.48:Lance Gibbs – 78 @ 20.05:Wes Hall – 74 @ 21.70

Test matches

;leading batsmen::Rohan Kanhai – 497 runs @ 55.22:Conrad Hunte – 471 @ 58.57:Basil Butcher – 383 @ 47.87:Gary Sobers – 322 @ 40.25

;leading bowlers::Charlie Griffith – 32 wickets @ 16.21:Lance Gibbs – 26 @ 21.30:Gary Sobers – 20 @ 28.55:Wes Hall – 16 @ 33.37

ee also

* Wisden Trophy
* 1963 English cricket season

External sources

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1963.html CricketArchive – tour summaries]

Annual reviews

* Playfair Cricket Annual 1964
* Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1964

Further reading

* Bill Frindall, "The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978", Wisden, 1979