Greatest Cricket Moments

Earliest Documented Cricket at Demerara — British Guiana, 1829

1829-02-14Officers vs CiviliansOfficers v Civilians, Georgetown, Demerara, 14 February 18291 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

On 14 February 1829 a cricket match was played at Georgetown, Demerara, between officers of the colonial garrison and a civilian side — the earliest documented cricket fixture in the West Indies and the foundation entry of West Indian cricket history.

What Happened

Britain had taken Demerara from the Dutch in 1796 and consolidated control after 1814. By the 1820s a substantial British civilian and military population was resident at Georgetown. The February 1829 cricket match — reported in the Royal Gazette of British Guiana — was the earliest documented in the colony. The Officers won by 47 runs in a single-innings match. Cricket continued in Demerara through the nineteenth century; the colony eventually became part of the West Indies Test side in 1928.

Timeline

1796

Britain takes Demerara from the Dutch

14 Feb 1829

First documented cricket in the West Indies

1928

West Indies plays first Test match

⚖️ The Verdict

The founding entry of West Indian cricket — and the earliest documented Caribbean cricket fixture.

Tags

#roundarm-era#demerara#british-guiana#guyana#caribbean#1829#iconic-moment#early-international

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