Oliver Layne
Encyclopedia
Oliver Hoffran Layne was a coloured West Indian cricketer who toured England in 1906. He was a right-handed batsman and right arm medium pace bowler.
Being a professional, he had limited opportunities to play in important matches, the Inter-Colonial Tournament
being restricted to amateurs only. He made his debut for Barbados against Lord Brackley's XI
in 1904-05 and had immediate success scoring 93 runs and taking 11 wickets in two matches. Such was his success that he was immediately selected for the combined West Indies team in all three of their matches against the tourists. However in these matches he had little success.
His next important matches were against Lord Brackley's team
in 1904-05 when he scored 28 and took 5 wickets in the Barbados match. Again he achieved little in his two matches for the combined West Indies team.
He was selected for the second West Indies
touring side that toured England in 1906
. In 10 first class matches he scored 465 at an average of 23.25 and took 34 wickets at an average of 24.08. Before the 1906 tour he was described as a "good bat, bowled and field" and "a professional and fast right hand bowler who can make the ball bump and is none too pleasant to play on a bad wicket. He is a fine long field with a dashing return and is a sound, careful bat". He made a brilliant start to the tour taking 6-74 in the second innings of the first match and then scoring 106 in 3 hours in the second match against Essex. He took 7-76 against Surrey, 63 against Derbyshire, 5-36 against Durham and Northumberland, 63 and 50 against Yorkshire, 62 and 5-14 against Norfolk and generally proved himself a more than useful all-rounder.
Back in the West Indies he moved to British Guiana. He played for British Guiana against William Shepherd's team in 1909-10 taking 6-63, 4-44, 9-19 and 2-90 in the two matches and scoring 12 and 76*. He then became part of Shepherd's team when they moved on to Trinidad and took 4-54 in the first match. He played for the combined West Indies against the M.C.C.
tourists
in 1910-11 and was again selected when they toured
again in 1912-13.
He later emigrated to New York and this marked the end of his first class career.
Being a professional, he had limited opportunities to play in important matches, 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...
being restricted to amateurs only. He made his debut for Barbados against Lord Brackley's XI
Lord Brackley's XI cricket team in West Indies in 1904-05
Lord Brackley's XI was the fifth team of English cricketers to tour the West Indies, playing in the 1904-05 season. The team was captained by John Egerton, 4th Earl of Ellesmere and played a total of 20 matches between January and April 1905, of which ten are regarded as first class...
in 1904-05 and had immediate success scoring 93 runs and taking 11 wickets in two matches. Such was his success that he was immediately selected for the combined West Indies team in all three of their matches against the tourists. However in these matches he had little success.
His next important matches were against Lord Brackley's team
Lord Brackley's XI cricket team in West Indies in 1904-05
Lord Brackley's XI was the fifth team of English cricketers to tour the West Indies, playing in the 1904-05 season. The team was captained by John Egerton, 4th Earl of Ellesmere and played a total of 20 matches between January and April 1905, of which ten are regarded as first class...
in 1904-05 when he scored 28 and took 5 wickets in the Barbados match. Again he achieved little in his two matches for the combined West Indies team.
He was selected for the second West Indies
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....
touring side that toured England in 1906
1906 English cricket season
The 1906 English cricket season saw the Championship decided on the very last day with Kent just pipping Yorkshire for the title. George Hirst achieved the unique feat of a "double Double", i.e...
. In 10 first class matches he scored 465 at an average of 23.25 and took 34 wickets at an average of 24.08. Before the 1906 tour he was described as a "good bat, bowled and field" and "a professional and fast right hand bowler who can make the ball bump and is none too pleasant to play on a bad wicket. He is a fine long field with a dashing return and is a sound, careful bat". He made a brilliant start to the tour taking 6-74 in the second innings of the first match and then scoring 106 in 3 hours in the second match against Essex. He took 7-76 against Surrey, 63 against Derbyshire, 5-36 against Durham and Northumberland, 63 and 50 against Yorkshire, 62 and 5-14 against Norfolk and generally proved himself a more than useful all-rounder.
Back in the West Indies he moved to British Guiana. He played for British Guiana against William Shepherd's team in 1909-10 taking 6-63, 4-44, 9-19 and 2-90 in the two matches and scoring 12 and 76*. He then became part of Shepherd's team when they moved on to Trinidad and took 4-54 in the first match. He played for the combined West Indies 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...
tourists
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...
in 1910-11 and was again selected when they toured
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...
again in 1912-13.
He later emigrated to New York and this marked the end of his first class career.