Charlie Griffith
Encyclopedia
Charles Christopher Griffith (born 14 December 1938, Pie Corner, St Lucy, Barbados
) is a former West Indian cricket
er who played in 28 Tests
from 1960 to 1969. He formed a lethal fast bowling partnership with Wes Hall
during the 1960s. In the 1961/62 season, a delivery from Griffith cracked Indian batsman Nari Contractor
's skull, prematurely ending Contractor's international career.
When Griffith started playing club cricket in Barbados at a young age it was as a right arm spinner. During one game he decided to bowl right arm fast and finished with figures of 7 for 1. He remained a fast bowler and soon after was chosen to represent Barbados. His first class debut was made against the Marylebone Cricket Club
who were touring the Caribbean in 1959/60 and in the space of 2 overs he dismissed England internationals Colin Cowdrey
, Mike Smith and Peter May.
In the match between Barbados and the touring Indians in 1961/62. Nari Contractor was hit on the back of the head by a Griffith bouncer
. After being helped from the field, he started to bleed profusely, having suffered a fractured skull. Two emergency operations were required to removes blood clots on his brain. Although he recovered from his injury, he never played Test cricket again. Later in the match Griffith was no-balled by umpire Cortez Jordan
for throwing
, the first of two times that he was called during his career. The other occasion was a tour match against Lancashire in 1966, when Griffith was called by Arthur Fagg
.
Griffith had a successful tour of England in 1963, finishing the summer with 119 wickets at 12.3, 32 of them coming in the Test series. In the first innings of the Headingley Test he took 6 for 36 and finished the match with 9 wickets. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1964.
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
) is a former West Indian cricket
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 played in 28 Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
from 1960 to 1969. He formed a lethal fast bowling partnership with Wes Hall
Wes Hall
Wesley Winfield Hall is a Barbadian former cricketer and politician. A tall, strong and powerfully built man, Hall was a genuine fast bowler and despite his very long run up, he was renowned for his ability to bowl long spells. Hall played 48 Test matches for the West Indies from 1958 to 1969...
during the 1960s. In the 1961/62 season, a delivery from Griffith cracked Indian batsman Nari Contractor
Nari Contractor
Nariman Jamshedji "Nari" Contractor is a former cricket player. He was left-handed opening batsman whose international career was ended abruptly by a serious injury....
's skull, prematurely ending Contractor's international career.
When Griffith started playing club cricket in Barbados at a young age it was as a right arm spinner. During one game he decided to bowl right arm fast and finished with figures of 7 for 1. He remained a fast bowler and soon after was chosen to represent Barbados. His first class debut was made against the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone 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...
who were touring the Caribbean in 1959/60 and in the space of 2 overs he dismissed England internationals Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
, Mike Smith and Peter May.
In the match between Barbados and the touring Indians in 1961/62. Nari Contractor was hit on the back of the head by a Griffith bouncer
Bouncer (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a bouncer is a type of delivery, usually bowled by a fast bowler. It is pitched short so that it bounces on the pitch well short of the batsman and rears up to chest or head height as it reaches the batsman.Bouncers are used tactically to drive the batsman back on to his...
. After being helped from the field, he started to bleed profusely, having suffered a fractured skull. Two emergency operations were required to removes blood clots on his brain. Although he recovered from his injury, he never played Test cricket again. Later in the match Griffith was no-balled by umpire Cortez Jordan
Cortez Jordan
Hugh Cortez Jordan was a Test cricket umpire between 1953 and 1974. In total, he oversaw 22 Test matches, all in the Caribbean and involving the West Indies team....
for throwing
Throwing (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, throwing, commonly referred to as chucking, is an illegal bowling action which occurs when a bowler straightens their arm when delivering the ball. The Laws of Cricket specify that a bowler's arm must be fully extended and rotated about the shoulder to impart velocity to...
, the first of two times that he was called during his career. The other occasion was a tour match against Lancashire in 1966, when Griffith was called by Arthur Fagg
Arthur Fagg
Arthur Edward Fagg was an English cricketer, who played for Kent and England....
.
Griffith had a successful tour of England in 1963, finishing the summer with 119 wickets at 12.3, 32 of them coming in the Test series. In the first innings of the Headingley Test he took 6 for 36 and finished the match with 9 wickets. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1964.