Elias Constantine
Encyclopedia
Elias Constantine was a Trinidadian cricket
er who played first-class cricket
for Trinidad between 1932 and 1949. He was the younger brother of Learie Constantine
, who represented West Indies in Test matches
; his father Lebrun
and uncle Victor Pascall
also played representative cricket for West Indies and Trinidad.
Constantine's father, Lebrun, was the grandchild of slaves, who rose to the position of overseer on a cocoa estate in Cascade, near Maraval
, where the family lived when Elias was born. Lebrun was famous on the island as a cricketer who represented Trinidad in first-class cricket and toured England twice with a West Indian team. Constantine's mother, Anaise Pascall, was the daughter of slaves;. Constantine grew up with his family in Cascade on the estates for which his father was overseer. The family were generally happy and frequently practised cricket together under the supervision of Lebrun and Victor Pascall.
By 1932, Constantine had followed his relations into the Trinidad cricket team. He made his first-class debut against Barbados
on 16 January in the Inter-Colonial Tournament
, and scored 30 in his only innings. He later bowled 11 wicketless overs
in a comfortable Trinidad win. According to his obituary in Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
, "he was so quick in the field that his team-mates reputedly congratulated him when he dropped a catch on his Trinidad debut, because no one else could have got close." In the following game, the final of the tournament, Constantine scored 92 not out
and took his first two wickets in first-class cricket as Trinidad won the competition.
As matches in the West Indies were limited, Constantine played just once in each of the following two seasons, achieving nothing of note. In the following season, he played in one of the matches against the Marylebone Cricket Club
which was touring West Indies. For the only time, he played a first-class match with his brother Learie. They opened the bowling together when their team fielded. When Trinidad batted, they were reduced to 42 for six before the brothers came together and added 93 runs, of which Elias made 37. The match was eventually drawn. During the Trinidad Test match, played shortly afterwards, Constantine was chosen as twelfth man purely because of his reputation as an outstanding fielder. In the first 11 years of his career, he only twice passed fifty in a first-class match, and he bowled infrequently. Even so, Learie Constantine hoped that Elias would be chosen for the 1939 West Indies tour of England. Elias even paid his own expenses to travel to the trial matches in Trinidad, but was not selected for them and he did not make the tour. In the mid-1930s, Constantine joined his brother in playing English league cricket; he appeared for Rochdale Cricket Club in the Central Lancashire Cricket League
, playing as an all-rounder
.
Constantine did not play any first-class cricket between 1936 and 1939. His best performance came in 1944, when he scored his only first-class hundred; he hit 139 runs against British Guiana
, hitting five sixes. He continued to play for Trinidad until 1949; all but one of his first-class games was played for Trinidad. In total, he scored 895 runs at an average of 27.12 and took 24 wickets with his medium-paced bowling. He died in Trinidad on his 91st birthday on 22 May 2003.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Trinidad between 1932 and 1949. He was the younger brother of Learie Constantine
Learie Constantine
Learie Nicholas Constantine, Baron Constantine MBE was a West Indian cricketer who played 18 Test matches before the Second World War. He took West Indies' first wicket in Test cricket and was the team's leading all-rounder and opening bowler for the entirety of his career...
, who represented West Indies in Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
; his father Lebrun
Lebrun Constantine
Lebrun Samuel Constantine was a coloured West Indian cricketer who toured England in 1900 and 1906 and was a regular member of the Trinidad team from 1893-94 to 1922-23. He was primarily a batsman. He often kept wicket but was also a useful occasional bowler...
and uncle Victor Pascall
Victor Pascall
Victor S Pascall was a Trinidadian cricketer who represented the West Indies in the days before they achieved Test status. His primary role was as a left-arm spinner, but was regarded as a reasonable batsman. Pascall was related to the Constantine family; he was the maternal uncle of Elias and...
also played representative cricket for West Indies and Trinidad.
Constantine's father, Lebrun, was the grandchild of slaves, who rose to the position of overseer on a cocoa estate in Cascade, near Maraval
Maraval
Maraval is one of the northern suburbs of Trinidad's capital, Port of Spain a valley in northern Trinidad in Trinidad and Tobago. It is situated at the bottom of the hills of Paramin and located east of the Diego Martin valley to which it is connected directly by Morne Coco Road, and west of Santa...
, where the family lived when Elias was born. Lebrun was famous on the island as a cricketer who represented Trinidad in first-class cricket and toured England twice with a West Indian team. Constantine's mother, Anaise Pascall, was the daughter of slaves;. Constantine grew up with his family in Cascade on the estates for which his father was overseer. The family were generally happy and frequently practised cricket together under the supervision of Lebrun and Victor Pascall.
By 1932, Constantine had followed his relations into the Trinidad cricket team. He made his first-class debut against Barbados
Barbados national cricket team
The Barbadian cricket team is the representative first class cricket team of Barbados.It does not take part in any international competitions , but rather in inter-regional competitions in the Caribbean, such as the Regional Four Day Competition and the WICB Cup, and the best players may be...
on 16 January in the Inter-Colonial Tournament
Inter-Colonial Tournament
The Inter-Colonial Tournament was the main first class cricket competition in the West Indies before World War II.- Competing teams :* Barbados* British Guiana* Trinidad...
, and scored 30 in his only innings. He later bowled 11 wicketless overs
Over (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. An over is normally bowled by a single bowler. However, in the event of injury preventing a bowler from completing an over, it is completed by a teammate....
in a comfortable Trinidad win. According to his obituary in Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
, "he was so quick in the field that his team-mates reputedly congratulated him when he dropped a catch on his Trinidad debut, because no one else could have got close." In the following game, the final of the tournament, Constantine scored 92 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
and took his first two wickets in first-class cricket as Trinidad won the competition.
As matches in the West Indies were limited, Constantine played just once in each of the following two seasons, achieving nothing of note. In the following season, he played in one of the matches against the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
which was touring West Indies. For the only time, he played a first-class match with his brother Learie. They opened the bowling together when their team fielded. When Trinidad batted, they were reduced to 42 for six before the brothers came together and added 93 runs, of which Elias made 37. The match was eventually drawn. During the Trinidad Test match, played shortly afterwards, Constantine was chosen as twelfth man purely because of his reputation as an outstanding fielder. In the first 11 years of his career, he only twice passed fifty in a first-class match, and he bowled infrequently. Even so, Learie Constantine hoped that Elias would be chosen for the 1939 West Indies tour of England. Elias even paid his own expenses to travel to the trial matches in Trinidad, but was not selected for them and he did not make the tour. In the mid-1930s, Constantine joined his brother in playing English league cricket; he appeared for Rochdale Cricket Club in the Central Lancashire Cricket League
Central Lancashire Cricket League
The Central Lancashire League is a fifteen team cricket league, traditionally based in Lancashire, England. It is now based around Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. The league runs competitions at First Team, Second Team, Third Team, Under 18, Under 15, Under 13 and Under 11 levels.The...
, playing as an all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
.
Constantine did not play any first-class cricket between 1936 and 1939. His best performance came in 1944, when he scored his only first-class hundred; he hit 139 runs against British Guiana
Guyana national cricket team
The Guyana cricket team is the representative first class cricket team of Guyana.It does not take part in any international competitions, but rather in inter-regional competitions in the Caribbean, such as the Carib Beer Cup and the KFC Cup, and the best players may be selected for the West Indies...
, hitting five sixes. He continued to play for Trinidad until 1949; all but one of his first-class games was played for Trinidad. In total, he scored 895 runs at an average of 27.12 and took 24 wickets with his medium-paced bowling. He died in Trinidad on his 91st birthday on 22 May 2003.