West Indies' First Test Win in England — Lord's 1950 and the Calypso

Test cricket in the late 1940s had been dominated by Australia and a recovering England. West Indies had Test status since 1928 but lacked sustained success. The 1948 series in West Indies, won 2-0 by the hosts, hinted at change. The new generation of Worrell, Weekes and Walcott, joined by an exciting bowling pair in Ramadhin and Valentine, gave Goddard the resources to mount a real challenge in 1950.

The Lord's of 1950 was still recovering from the war. The pavilion remained an austere amateur preserve, and English crowds were not used to seeing Caribbean spectators in any number. London's growing Windrush-era community had begun to attend Tests in the new shilling enclosures, bringing trumpets, drums and an atmosphere unfamiliar to Lord's stewards.

England, captained by Norman Yardley, had won the first Test at Old Trafford by 202 runs and were strong favourites for the series. Selectors left out Len Hutton from the second Test, a decision that drew criticism. The Lord's pitch was expected to suit pace bowling, and few foresaw the spin twins doing damage on it.

West Indies had toured England three times before — in 1928, 1933 and 1939 — and had never won a Test in the country. Their 1950 squad arrived under captain John Goddard with two spinners almost no one in England had heard of: the diminutive off-spinner Sonny Ramadhin from Trinidad, who bowled with his sleeves buttoned at the wrist, and the bespectacled Jamaican left-arm orthodox Alf Valentine. Each had played only two first-class matches before the tour. After losing the first Test at Old Trafford, West Indies came to Lord's needing to demonstrate that the spinners could survive on English pitches.

Batting first, West Indies posted 326 thanks to a measured 106 from Allan Rae and 74 from Everton Weekes, the youngest of the famous 'Three Ws'. England, replying with a strong batting line-up that included Cyril Washbrook, Bill Edrich and Godfrey Evans, were spun out for 151 in just over two sessions on the second day. Ramadhin took 5 for 66 and Valentine 4 for 48. Clyde Walcott then scored an unbeaten 168 in the second innings as West Indies declared at 425 for 6, leaving England a notional target of 601.

On the final morning, with England chasing the impossible at 274 all out, Ramadhin returned 6 for 86 and Valentine 3 for 79. Their match haul was 18 wickets for 291. As the final wicket fell, a group of Caribbean migrants — among them the calypsonians Lord Beginner (Egbert Moore) and Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) — paraded around the outfield. Lord Beginner then composed and recorded 'Victory Test Match' (better known by the chorus 'Cricket, lovely cricket / At Lord's where I saw it'), with the lines 'With those two little pals of mine, Ramadhin and Valentine'.

“Cricket, lovely cricket / At Lord's where I saw it / Yardley tried his best / But Goddard won the Test / They gave the crowd plenty fun / Second Test and West Indies won / With those two little pals of mine / Ramadhin and Valentine.”

“An atmosphere of joy such as Lord's had never known before.”

West Indies went on to win the series 3-1, their first series victory in England. Ramadhin finished with 26 wickets and Valentine with 33 at 20.42. The pair toured Australia together later that year, where the bigger pitches and faster wickets reduced their effectiveness, but in England they were untouchable.

Lord Beginner recorded 'Victory Test Match' for Melodisc Records within weeks. The song became one of the most-played calypso records of the decade and remains the definitive cricket anthem of the Caribbean diaspora.