GEORGE FRANCIS (CRICKETER)

'George Francis' (December 11, 1897-January 12, 1942) was a West Indian cricketer who played in West Indies' first Test in their inaugural Test tour of England. He was a fast bowler with a renowned pace.
Francis was born in Trents, St James, Barbados. His Test career, like many of contemporaries, started quite late in his life; if the West Indies had started playing Test cricket earlier, there is no doubt his numbers would be more dominant.
Francis was part of the West Indies' non-Test tour in 1923 and caused a small sensation by his bowling in that tour. During the last match of the tour against HDG Leveson-Gower's XI, Francis took four fast wickets, eventually reducing their opponents to 19 for 6. It wasn't enough to retain the win, as Leveson-Gower soon met their target of 28, but it was a remarkable spell of bowling nonetheless.
At the age of 30, he took the fresh ball in the West Indies' inaugural Test, and eventually took 2 wickets in England's only innings. He would later take 4 wickets (Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Tate and Larwood) in the third Test at The Oval, an impressive show for a bowler on a nascent West Indian side.
He died in Black Rock, St James, Barbados.

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External links

External links

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★ BBC summary of 1928 series

★ Scorecard for Windies first Test from Cricinfo