Charles Ollivierre
Encyclopedia
Charles Augustus Ollivierre (20 July 1876 – 25 March 1949) was a West Indian cricket
er who toured England in 1900 and played for Derbyshire
between 1901 and 1907 becoming the first black West Indian to play for an English county.
Ollivierre was born in Kingstown
, St. Vincent
and being from St. Vincent his chances to play in major cricket matches in the West Indies were limited. He made his debut in top level matches playing for Trinidad against Slade Lucas's side
in 1894-95 at the age of just 18. He toured Trinidad with A.B. St Hill's team in 1898-99 with much success.
He was an important member of the first West Indian
touring side to England in 1900. Before the tour he was described as a "Fine all-round cricketer, best as a bat, clean and neat style, with good eye". On the tour he was top of the tourists batting averages and also performed as a useful bowler and fielder. He was "the best batsman in the eleven. He has stokes all round the wicket, and in some ways reminds one of Ranji. His 159 against Leicestershire was as good an innings as was played last summer. He was particularly strong in cutting and playing to leg, and I shall be much surprised if he does not develop into one of the best batsmen in Derbyshire, for which county he is qualifying".
During the West Indies match against Derbyshire in July 1900 Ollivierre agreed to play for the county. This involved a two year residence qualification before he could play in the County Championship
. He did not return to the West Indies with the rest of the team after the 1900 tour, but played a match for Derbyshire against 19 Colts on the 10 and 11 September when he opened the batting and scored 15. Over the next year he played a number of friendly matches involving London County and touring teams. He eventually made his Championship debut on 24 July 1902 against Essex scoring 20 and 0. He had more success in the next match against Hampshire scoring 58 and 25 and later in the season scored an impressive 167 against Warwickshire and ended the season with 524 runs at an average of nearly 35.
Ollivierre continued to play for Derbyshire until 1907 being a regular member of the side. 1904 was his most successful season with 1268 runs including a career high 229. This was a remarkable match in which Essex scored 597 with Percy Perrin
scoring 343. Derbyshire replied with 548, bowled out Essex for 97 and won by 9 wickets. Ollivierre scored 229 and 92*. Initially an all-rounder he later became only an occasional bowler. In all he played 110 first class matches for Derbyshire scoring 4670 runs at an average of 23.70. He took 29 wickets at an average of 22.89 and a best performance of 6-51. Problems with his eyes caused him to retire from top class cricket.
Ollivierre died at Pontefract
, Yorkshire
at the age of 72. He was one of a family of cricketers which included his brothers Richard
and Helon.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who toured England in 1900 and played for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
between 1901 and 1907 becoming the first black West Indian to play for an English county.
Ollivierre was born in Kingstown
Kingstown
Kingstown is the chief port of Saint Vincent, and the capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. With a population of 25,418 Kingstown is a centre for the island's agricultural industry and a port of entry for tourists...
, St. Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
and being from St. Vincent his chances to play in major cricket matches in the West Indies were limited. He made his debut in top level matches playing for Trinidad against Slade Lucas's side
RS Lucas' XI cricket team in West Indies in 1894-95
A team of Amateurs under the captaincy of Mr. R. Slade Lucas toured the West Indies in the 1894-95 season playing matches between January and April 1895. They played a total of 16 matches of which 8 are regarded as first-class.-Touring team:...
in 1894-95 at the age of just 18. He toured Trinidad with A.B. St Hill's team in 1898-99 with much success.
He was an important member of the first West Indian
West Indian cricket team in England in 1900
The West Indian cricket team toured England in the 1900 season. The team played 17 matches between 11 June and 11 August 1900.There had been three tours by teams of English Amateurs to the West Indies in the mid 1890s and the idea of sending a combined West Indies team to England had gradually...
touring side to England in 1900. Before the tour he was described as a "Fine all-round cricketer, best as a bat, clean and neat style, with good eye". On the tour he was top of the tourists batting averages and also performed as a useful bowler and fielder. He was "the best batsman in the eleven. He has stokes all round the wicket, and in some ways reminds one of Ranji. His 159 against Leicestershire was as good an innings as was played last summer. He was particularly strong in cutting and playing to leg, and I shall be much surprised if he does not develop into one of the best batsmen in Derbyshire, for which county he is qualifying".
During the West Indies match against Derbyshire in July 1900 Ollivierre agreed to play for the county. This involved a two year residence qualification before he could play in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
. He did not return to the West Indies with the rest of the team after the 1900 tour, but played a match for Derbyshire against 19 Colts on the 10 and 11 September when he opened the batting and scored 15. Over the next year he played a number of friendly matches involving London County and touring teams. He eventually made his Championship debut on 24 July 1902 against Essex scoring 20 and 0. He had more success in the next match against Hampshire scoring 58 and 25 and later in the season scored an impressive 167 against Warwickshire and ended the season with 524 runs at an average of nearly 35.
Ollivierre continued to play for Derbyshire until 1907 being a regular member of the side. 1904 was his most successful season with 1268 runs including a career high 229. This was a remarkable match in which Essex scored 597 with Percy Perrin
Percy Perrin
Percival Albert Perrin , known as either "Percy" or "Peter", was an English cricketer, who played for Essex as a right-handed, middle-order batsman for more than thirty years from 1896.Perrin was a Tottenham publican and a property developer who organised his considerable business...
scoring 343. Derbyshire replied with 548, bowled out Essex for 97 and won by 9 wickets. Ollivierre scored 229 and 92*. Initially an all-rounder he later became only an occasional bowler. In all he played 110 first class matches for Derbyshire scoring 4670 runs at an average of 23.70. He took 29 wickets at an average of 22.89 and a best performance of 6-51. Problems with his eyes caused him to retire from top class cricket.
Ollivierre died at Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
at the age of 72. He was one of a family of cricketers which included his brothers Richard
Richard Ollivierre
Richard Cordice Ollivierre was a coloured West Indian cricketer who toured England in 1906. He was a right hand batsman, right arm fast bowler and useful wicket-keeper....
and Helon.