Ben Sealey
Encyclopedia
Benjamin James Sealey - An attacking, middle-order batsman, a medium-pace, leg-break bowler and an athletic fielder
anywhere on the pitch, Ben Sealey’s career spanned the years 1924 to 1941
. Despite once turning out for a ‘Barbados Born’ side against the Rest of West Indies, he was a Trinidad
player through and through. He was born on the Caribbean island at St. Joseph on August 12, 1899 and died at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on September 12, 1963, aged 64. He was into his mid-twenties by the time his first-class
career started but in 1933
he was selected to tour England
with a West Indian team captained by G.C. Grant
. His tour was both busy, in terms of matches played, and reasonably successful with both bat and ball. From twenty-two first-class matches – he also played in 12 minor matches – Sealey scored 1,072 runs at an average of 39.70 and took 19 wickets at 38.15 apiece. He was picked to play in the third and final Test
of the series, the only Test of his career, and was West Indies' top scorer in the first innings
, hitting 29 from a total of 100. He added a further 12 runs for the visitors in their second innings and took one wicket, that of A.H. Bakewell
, for a total of 10 runs in England’s only innings. His various times at the crease in England and Wales produced three scores over a century; 103 against Worcestershire
at Worcester
, 105 not out against Glamorgan
at Swansea
and 106 not out against the Army
at Aldershot
. But the highest score of his career came at Bridgetown
, in January 1939 when he hit 116 against the hosts to help Trinidad to a victory by an innings and 19 runs. With the ball, he twice took five wickets in an innings; five for 22 at Bridgetown for Trinidad against Barbados in January 1932 and five for 26 at Port-of-Spain for Trinidad against the touring M.C.C.
in January 1935. His death in 1963 went unreported at the time and therefore no obituary appeared within the covers of Wisden for Sealey.
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
anywhere on the pitch, Ben Sealey’s career spanned the years 1924 to 1941
History of cricket in the West Indies from 1918-19 to 1945
-Inter-Colonial Tournament:The 1891-92 season had seen the first Inter-Colonial Tournament in the West Indies and these took place irregularly until the Second World War, winners in the inter-war period being:* 1922-23 – Barbados* 1923-24 – Barbados...
. Despite once turning out for a ‘Barbados Born’ side against the Rest of West Indies, he was a Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
player through and through. He was born on the Caribbean island at St. Joseph on August 12, 1899 and died at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on September 12, 1963, aged 64. He was into his mid-twenties by the time his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
career started but in 1933
West Indian cricket team in England in 1933
The West Indies cricket team toured England in 1933, playing three Test matches, losing two of them and drawing the other. In all, the side played 30 first-class matches, winning only five and losing nine....
he was selected to tour England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with a West Indian team captained by G.C. Grant
Jackie Grant
George Copeland Grant was a West Indian cricketer who captained the side through several series.Grant was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. He captained the West Indies' team in the 1930-31, 1933, 1934-35 series...
. His tour was both busy, in terms of matches played, and reasonably successful with both bat and ball. From twenty-two first-class matches – he also played in 12 minor matches – Sealey scored 1,072 runs at an average of 39.70 and took 19 wickets at 38.15 apiece. He was picked to play in the third and final Test
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...
of the series, the only Test of his career, and was West Indies' top scorer in the first innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
, hitting 29 from a total of 100. He added a further 12 runs for the visitors in their second innings and took one wicket, that of A.H. Bakewell
Fred Bakewell
Fred Bakewell was a Northamptonshire and England opening batsman who was renowned as one of the most exciting players of his time, largely owing to his unorthodox methods, which allowed him to play some of the most brilliant innings in county cricket, despite the...
, for a total of 10 runs in England’s only innings. His various times at the crease in England and Wales produced three scores over a century; 103 against Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
at Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, 105 not out against Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
at Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
and 106 not out against the Army
British Army cricket team
The Army cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Army. The team played a number of first-class matches between 1912 and 1939, although a combined "Army and Navy" side had played two games against a combined Oxford and Cambridge team in 1910 and 1911...
at Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
. But the highest score of his career came at Bridgetown
Bridgetown
The city of Bridgetown , metropolitan pop 96,578 , is the capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael...
, in January 1939 when he hit 116 against the hosts to help Trinidad to a victory by an innings and 19 runs. With the ball, he twice took five wickets in an innings; five for 22 at Bridgetown for Trinidad against Barbados in January 1932 and five for 26 at Port-of-Spain for Trinidad against the touring M.C.C.
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...
in January 1935. His death in 1963 went unreported at the time and therefore no obituary appeared within the covers of Wisden for Sealey.