George Challenor
Encyclopedia
George Challenor was a West Indian cricketer
who was part of the first West Indies Test side. He was recognised as the first great West Indian batsman, his obituary in Wisden Cricketer's Almanack ending with the words "His admirable batting did much toward raising cricket in West Indies to Test match standard". Challenor was born in Waterloo, St. Michael, Barbados
and died in Collymore Rock, St. Michael, Barbados
. He visited England
three times as a member of a West Indian touring team; in 1906, 1923 and 1928.
His elder brothers Edward
, Vicary and Robert all played cricket, while his uncle George Whitehall had played for Barbados in early inter-colonial matches. His brother Edward was a well known cricketer who played for Barbados, Western Province, Natal, Leicestershire and the Army. Edward and George played against each other on the 1906
tour of England, Edward playing in the M.C.C.
side at Lord's.
In June 1988 he was celebrated on the Barbadian 45c stamp alongside the Barbados Cricket Buckle
.
He made his debut in important cricket for Barbados in the 1905-06 Inter-Colonial Tournament
in Trinidad
aged 17. He scored 94 runs in his 4 innings. The team for the forthcoming tour of England was decided after this tournament and Challenor was one of those chosen. Before this 1906
tour he was described as "the baby of the team, good and polished bat" and "a member of the famous cricketing family who should score a fine average. He is an attractive bat who combines brilliant hitting with sound defence. He is young but most promising".
He was something of a success on the tour scoring 684 runs in 12 first class matches at an average of 28.50. He made a slow start to the tour and it wasn't until the 10th match of the tour against the M.C.C.
that he got his first half-century, a useful 59 made in 80 minutes. Thereafter he scored 90 against Scotland, 97 in a minor match against Northumberland and Durham, 63 against Leicestershire, 108 against Nottinghamshire and 67 against Northamptonshire. In all matches he scored 1017 runs, one of only 3 tourists to reach a thousand runs.
Thereafter he was a regular member of the Barbados side and was chosen for the combined West Indies team again the M.C.C.
tourists in both 1910-11
and 1912-13
. In 1910-11 he scored a useful 75 for the combined team while in 1912-13 he scored 118 and 109 for Barbados against the tourists, while having no success with the combined team. From 1910 onwards he also began to become a useful medium pace bowler.
he had more success for Barbados which led to him being chosen for the 1923
tour to England. He was then 34, exactly twice the age he had been in 1906. He was particularly brilliant on this tour, scoring 1,556 runs in first-class matches with six centuries (eight in all matches) and an average of 51.86 runs per innings. Early he in the tour he scored 87 against Surrey and 94 against Middlesex before scoring his first century in the 6th match against Oxford University and then 101 in his next innings against Essex. More big scores came regularly with more centuries against Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Surrey, Glamorgan and Norfolk. He eventually finished third in the 1923
batting averages behind Patsy Hendren
and Phil Mead
.
Returning to the West Indies he had more success for Barbados scoring 114 against Trinidad in 1923-24 and then 237* against Jamaica in 1924-25. After a gap of 14 years an M.C.C. team toured the West Indies in 1925-26 and Challenor was an automatic choice for the representative matches against the tourists.
He was in England in the summer of 1926
playing a number of matches for M.C.C.
and the Gentlemen v Players
.
Although he didn't have great success in the trial matches in 1927-28 he was an automatic choice for the West Indies' initial Test tour of England in 1928
. He played in the three Tests during the tour but, turning 40 years of age during the tour, was not the power he had been five years earlier. In first-class matches, he scored 1,074 runs at an average of 27. All three Test matches were lost by an innings in just over two days; in each of them, Challenor made runs and shared in decent opening partnerships in the first innings, but then failed in the second innings.
Another M.C.C. team toured the West Indies in 1929-30 during which the first ever Test matches were played in the West Indies. Challenor played for Barbados against the tourists in their first match. He scored 51 but this marked the end of his first class career.
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who was part of the first West Indies Test side. He was recognised as the first great West Indian batsman, his obituary in Wisden Cricketer's Almanack ending with the words "His admirable batting did much toward raising cricket in West Indies to Test match standard". Challenor was born in Waterloo, St. Michael, Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
and died in Collymore Rock, St. Michael, Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. He visited England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
three times as a member of a West Indian touring team; in 1906, 1923 and 1928.
His elder brothers Edward
Edward Challenor
Edward Lacy Challenor was a first-class cricketer from Barbados. He played in England with Leicestershire and in South Africa with Western Province and Natal. His brother George played Test cricket for the West Indies....
, Vicary and Robert all played cricket, while his uncle George Whitehall had played for Barbados in early inter-colonial matches. His brother Edward was a well known cricketer who played for Barbados, Western Province, Natal, Leicestershire and the Army. Edward and George played against each other on the 1906
West Indian cricket team in England in 1906
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1906 season. The team played 19 matches between 11 June and 18 August 1906 of which 13 were regarded as first-class....
tour of England, Edward playing in the M.C.C.
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...
side at Lord's.
In June 1988 he was celebrated on the Barbadian 45c stamp alongside the Barbados Cricket Buckle
Barbados Cricket Buckle
The Barbados Cricket Buckle is a repoussé engraving on a belt buckle of a slave playing cricket in Barbados circa 1780-1810.It is believed to be the only known image of a slave playing cricket and the oldest known image depicting cricket outside the British Isles."That the belt buckle depicts the...
.
Pre-war cricket
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...
in Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
aged 17. He scored 94 runs in his 4 innings. The team for the forthcoming tour of England was decided after this tournament and Challenor was one of those chosen. Before this 1906
West Indian cricket team in England in 1906
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1906 season. The team played 19 matches between 11 June and 18 August 1906 of which 13 were regarded as first-class....
tour he was described as "the baby of the team, good and polished bat" and "a member of the famous cricketing family who should score a fine average. He is an attractive bat who combines brilliant hitting with sound defence. He is young but most promising".
He was something of a success on the tour scoring 684 runs in 12 first class matches at an average of 28.50. He made a slow start to the tour and it wasn't until the 10th match of the tour against the M.C.C.
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...
that he got his first half-century, a useful 59 made in 80 minutes. Thereafter he scored 90 against Scotland, 97 in a minor match against Northumberland and Durham, 63 against Leicestershire, 108 against Nottinghamshire and 67 against Northamptonshire. In all matches he scored 1017 runs, one of only 3 tourists to reach a thousand runs.
Thereafter he was a regular member of the Barbados side and was chosen for the combined West Indies team again the M.C.C.
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...
tourists in both 1910-11
English cricket team in West Indies in 1910-11
The sixth team of English cricketers toured the West Indies in the 1910-11 season. For the first time the MCC organised the tour. The team was captained by AWF Somerset and played a total of 12 matches, of which 11 are regarded as first-class, between February and April 1911.A party of 11 was...
and 1912-13
English cricket team in West Indies in 1912-13
The seventh team of English cricketers toured the West Indies in the 1912-13 season. The tour was organised by MCC. As in 1910-11, the team was captained by AWF Somerset...
. In 1910-11 he scored a useful 75 for the combined team while in 1912-13 he scored 118 and 109 for Barbados against the tourists, while having no success with the combined team. From 1910 onwards he also began to become a useful medium pace bowler.
Post-war cricket
After World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he had more success for Barbados which led to him being chosen for the 1923
West Indian cricket team in England in 1923
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1923 season. The team played 28 matches between 19 May and 5 September 1923 of which 20 were regarded as first-class. This was the 3rd West Indian tour following those of 1900 and 1906....
tour to England. He was then 34, exactly twice the age he had been in 1906. He was particularly brilliant on this tour, scoring 1,556 runs in first-class matches with six centuries (eight in all matches) and an average of 51.86 runs per innings. Early he in the tour he scored 87 against Surrey and 94 against Middlesex before scoring his first century in the 6th match against Oxford University and then 101 in his next innings against Essex. More big scores came regularly with more centuries against Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Surrey, Glamorgan and Norfolk. He eventually finished third in the 1923
1923 English cricket season
-Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire*Minor Counties Championship - Buckinghamshire*Wisden - Arthur Gilligan, Roy Kilner, George Macaulay, Cecil Parkin, Maurice Tate-External sources:*...
batting averages behind Patsy Hendren
Patsy Hendren
Elias Henry Hendren better known as Patsy Hendren was an English cricketer. Patsy was one of the most prolific English batsmen of the period between the wars, averaging 47.63 in his 51 Test matches...
and Phil Mead
Phil Mead
Charles Phillip Mead was a left-handed batsman for Hampshire and England between 1905 and 1936. He was born at 10 Ashton Buildings , second eldest of seven children...
.
Returning to the West Indies he had more success for Barbados scoring 114 against Trinidad in 1923-24 and then 237* against Jamaica in 1924-25. After a gap of 14 years an M.C.C. team toured the West Indies in 1925-26 and Challenor was an automatic choice for the representative matches against the tourists.
He was in England in the summer of 1926
1926 English cricket season
The 1926 English cricket season saw England regain the Ashes. Lancashire overcame its eternal rivals and began a hat-trick sequence of county titles.-Honours:*County Championship - Lancashire*Minor Counties Championship - Durham...
playing a number of matches for M.C.C.
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...
and the Gentlemen v Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
.
Although he didn't have great success in the trial matches in 1927-28 he was an automatic choice for the West Indies' initial Test tour of England in 1928
West Indian cricket team in England in 1928
The West Indian cricket team that toured England in the 1928 season was the first to play Test cricket. The team was not very successful, losing all three Tests by an innings and winning only five of the 30 first-class matches played....
. He played in the three Tests during the tour but, turning 40 years of age during the tour, was not the power he had been five years earlier. In first-class matches, he scored 1,074 runs at an average of 27. All three Test matches were lost by an innings in just over two days; in each of them, Challenor made runs and shared in decent opening partnerships in the first innings, but then failed in the second innings.
Another M.C.C. team toured the West Indies in 1929-30 during which the first ever Test matches were played in the West Indies. Challenor played for Barbados against the tourists in their first match. He scored 51 but this marked the end of his first class career.
Averages
The following are his first class batting figures on his 3 tours to England with the West Indians.| Season | P | I | NO | R | HS | Ave | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 | 12 | 24 | 0 | 684 | 108 | 28.50 | 1 | 4 |
| 1923 | 20 | 35 | 5 | 1556 | 155* | 51.86 | 6 | 8 |
| 1928 | 24 | 40 | 1 | 1074 | 97 | 27.53 | 0 | 8 |