“Those Little Pals of Mine”

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Ever heard a game of cricket inspiring music? Calypso (Afro-Caribbean music) has been a deep-rooted part of Caribbean culture for a long time. But it came to be recognized in a novel way only in the summer of 1950. The West Indies clinched their maiden Test victory on English soil and their supporters were so overwhelmed that they romanticized the happenings on the cricket field through poetry and music.

The path-breaking victory, led by two raw, young and inexperienced spinners - Ramadhin and Valentine, inspired and gave birth to one of the most popular calypsos in cricket. The English tour of 1950 was coming of age for the West Indians, just like it was for India in 1971. As a former colony, beating England at home in their own game was the stuff of cricketing folklore. The beginning wasn’t great - a 202-run loss in the first Test at Old Trafford. But there was something else that caught the public eye.

Two young spinners baffled the English batters, picking 15 wickets and performing like they were 100 Test matches old. Alf Valentine and Sonny Ramadhin weren’t even sure to play, let alone emerge as wreckers in chief. Both had played only a couple of first-class games apiece and were completely unheard of before the tour. But they were curious characters and had shown glimpses of their abilities during the practice games. Their selection at first came as a surprise to the fans but they promised to be a shining light amidst the gloomy English weather.

Then came the Lord’s Test. A considerable number of West Indies supporters were present in the crowd, maybe in anticipation to erase the memories of the first test. First innings set the tone for a momentous climax. Allan Rae’s 106 helped West Indies post 326 on the board. The spin-duo of Ramadhin and Valentine took care of the rest. Their 9 wickets bundled England for 151. Both cleaned up the English side like they were following their daily practice routine.

The glorious start was abetted by Clyde Walcott’s masterful 168 in the second innings. England now had to bat for almost two days to chase 601. This was West Indies’ “pulling the rabbit out of the hat” moment. The emotions at the home of cricket started to shift. It was more noisy, enthralling and carnival-like - sharply distinctive of how the English crowd consumed their cricket.

June 29, 1950. Ramadhin and Valentine struck gold, again. 9 wickets in the second innings and a massive 326-run victory for the West Indies. Ramadhin's figures read 115-70-152-11. And Valentine ended with 116-75-127-7. This was the moment West Indies dreamt of since achieving Test status in 1928. Their supporter’s joy knew no bounds. Within minutes, they were on the field with their musical instruments singing and dancing.

There were celebrations back home too. Lord Kitchener, in traditional Caribbean style, penned a cricket calypso immediately after the victory and led a group of supporters on the streets of London singing it. The calypso 'Victory Test Match' was later recorded and released by Lord Beginner (Egbert Moore) and went on to become one of the most popular songs on cricket.

“Cricket, lovely cricket

At Lord’s where I saw it,

Yardley tried his best,

Goddard won the test,

They gave the crowd plenty fun,

The second Test and West Indies won,

With those little pals of mine,

Ramadhin and Valentine”

This was not a solitary victory. The West Indies won the remaining matches of the series. The young lads from Jamaica and Trinidad matured into men by the end of their stay in England. They took 59 wickets between them and set into motion the golden era of West Indies cricket. The cricket calypso tradition continued, with West Indian fans and artists immortalizing the landmark cricketing moments through their music and poetry.

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