Berbice cricket team
Encyclopedia
Berbice cricket team played first class cricket in the Guystac Trophy
and against the occasional touring team during the 20th century.
The team came from the Dutch colony of Berbice
, which is now a county of Guyana
.
from England. Berbice were captained by Joe Solomon
who opened the batting and scored 201 not out which remained his highest first class score. Other notable players in the side included Basil Butcher
who also scored a century, and Rohan Kanhai
.
In March 1961 they played a draw against EW Swanton's XI and didn't play a first class match again for another decade.
During the 1970s and 80s the team played a match every season, bar one, against Demerara
, with both sides playing for the Jones Cup and later the Guystac Trophy
. The first match took place in October 1971 with Basil Butcher as captain. They played annually (except in 1980/81) until 1989 when they played each other for the final time. In 1980/81, Essequibo qualified for the Jones Cup final instead of Demerara. The inter-county tournament continued after 1989/90, but none of the matches were considered first class.
Berbice won the Trophy in 1976/77, 1977/78 and 1980/81.
The first player from Berbice to play test cricket for the West Indies was John Trim, the fast bowler.
Guystac Trophy
The Guystac Trophy was a Guyanese inter-county cricket tournament, the final of which had first-class status. The tournament was played annually, the final being usually between Demerara and Berbice, two former colonies and now counties of Guyana. The only exception came in 1980/81 when a side...
and against the occasional touring team during the 20th century.
The team came from the Dutch colony of Berbice
Berbice
Berbice is a region along the Berbice River in Guyana, which was between 1627 and 1815 a colony of the Netherlands. After having been ceded to the United Kingdom in the latter year, it was merged with Essequibo and Demerara to form the colony of British Guiana in 1831...
, which is now a county of Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
.
History
They played their inaugural first class match in March 1960 against the touring Marylebone Cricket ClubMarylebone 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...
from England. Berbice were captained by Joe Solomon
Joe Solomon
Joseph Stanislaus Solomon is a former West Indian cricketer who played 27 Tests for the West Indies. He played Test cricket from 1958 to 1965, scoring 1326 runs, mainly from number six and seven in the batting line-up...
who opened the batting and scored 201 not out which remained his highest first class score. Other notable players in the side included Basil Butcher
Basil Butcher
Basil Fitzherbert Butcher is a former West Indian cricketer who played in 44 Tests from 1958 to 1969. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1970....
who also scored a century, and Rohan Kanhai
Rohan Kanhai
Rohan Bholalall Kanhai is a former West Indian Cricket player of Indo-Guyanese descent. He is widely considered as one of the best batsmen of the 1960s. Kanhai featured in several great West Indian teams, playing with, among others, Sir Garfield Sobers, Roy Fredericks, Lance Gibbs, and Alvin...
.
In March 1961 they played a draw against EW Swanton's XI and didn't play a first class match again for another decade.
During the 1970s and 80s the team played a match every season, bar one, against Demerara
Demerara cricket team
Demerara cricket team played first class cricket in the Jones Cup, later the Guystac Trophy, and came from the former British colony of Demerara, which is now a county of Guyana, formerly British Guiana...
, with both sides playing for the Jones Cup and later the Guystac Trophy
Guystac Trophy
The Guystac Trophy was a Guyanese inter-county cricket tournament, the final of which had first-class status. The tournament was played annually, the final being usually between Demerara and Berbice, two former colonies and now counties of Guyana. The only exception came in 1980/81 when a side...
. The first match took place in October 1971 with Basil Butcher as captain. They played annually (except in 1980/81) until 1989 when they played each other for the final time. In 1980/81, Essequibo qualified for the Jones Cup final instead of Demerara. The inter-county tournament continued after 1989/90, but none of the matches were considered first class.
Berbice won the Trophy in 1976/77, 1977/78 and 1980/81.
The first player from Berbice to play test cricket for the West Indies was John Trim, the fast bowler.