International Cavaliers
Encyclopedia
The International Cavaliers were an ad hoc cricket team made up of famous cricketers in order to encourage local cricket. Their teams included many prominent cricketer
s from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s as many retired veterans and talented young players were in the team at one point or another. International tours were arranged to South Africa
in 1960-61, Africa and India in 1962-63 and the West Indies in 1964-65, 1965-66 and 1969-70. These were usually made up of Test players whose countries were not touring that season (a more common occurrence at the time) or who were not required for their Test side. In 1965-70 Denis Compton
and Godfrey Evans
arranged 40-over one-day games for the International Cavaliers made up of international and local players against county teams on Sundays, which were always rest days in Test matches and the County Championship
. These games allowed spectators to see a wide range of famous players at small grounds, and the XI could reach international standard. In 1966 they beat the touring West Indies cricket team
by 21 runs, with Denis Compton
making 43 and Trevor Bailey
taking 3/41, and again by 7 wickets, with Ted Dexter
taking 2/42 and making 104, and in 1969 they defeated New Zealand
by 38 runs. They also played various other teams, such as the Rest of the World XI
, Duke of Norfolk's XI
, F.S Trueman's XI
, E.R. Dexter's XI
and Oxford University Past and Present
. They were a financial success and their popularity with the fans led to the increase of limited overs cricket in England. With the expansion of one-day cricket the schedules filled up and the International Cavaliers were no longer needed for 'knock about cricket' and they disbanded in 1970.
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
s from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s as many retired veterans and talented young players were in the team at one point or another. International tours were arranged to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1960-61, Africa and India in 1962-63 and the West Indies in 1964-65, 1965-66 and 1969-70. These were usually made up of Test players whose countries were not touring that season (a more common occurrence at the time) or who were not required for their Test side. In 1965-70 Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
and Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
arranged 40-over one-day games for the International Cavaliers made up of international and local players against county teams on Sundays, which were always rest days in Test matches and the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
. These games allowed spectators to see a wide range of famous players at small grounds, and the XI could reach international standard. In 1966 they beat the touring West Indies cricket team
West Indian cricket team in England in 1966
The West Indies cricket team toured England in the 1966 season to play a five-match Test series against England. West Indies won the series 3-1 with one match drawn....
by 21 runs, with Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
making 43 and Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
taking 3/41, and again by 7 wickets, with Ted Dexter
Ted Dexter
Edward Ralph Dexter CBE is a former English cricketer...
taking 2/42 and making 104, and in 1969 they defeated New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team in England in 1969
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1969 season to play a three-match Test series against England. The New Zealanders played in the second half of the English season: the England cricket team played three Test matches against the West Indies cricket team in the earlier part of the...
by 38 runs. They also played various other teams, such as the Rest of the World XI
Rest of the World cricket team in England in 1970
A Rest of the World cricket team was assembled to play five-day cricket matches against the full England team in 1970 after the cancellation of the scheduled tour by the South African cricket team. At the time the matches were deemed to be Test matches, but that was later revoked.-The background to...
, Duke of Norfolk's XI
Duke of Norfolk's XI
The Duke of Norfolk's XI is a scratch cricket team. It was originally named for the 16th Duke, but following his death in 1975 the team played on in his widow's name as Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk's XI...
, F.S Trueman's XI
Fred Trueman
Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968...
, E.R. Dexter's XI
Ted Dexter
Edward Ralph Dexter CBE is a former English cricketer...
and Oxford University Past and Present
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
. They were a financial success and their popularity with the fans led to the increase of limited overs cricket in England. With the expansion of one-day cricket the schedules filled up and the International Cavaliers were no longer needed for 'knock about cricket' and they disbanded in 1970.
| Famous International Cavaliers Source | |
|---|---|
| Name | Country |
| Neil Adcock Neil Adcock Neil Amwin Treharne Adcock is a former South African cricketer who played 26 Tests. A tall aggressive fast bowler, he could lift the ball sharply off a length. He was the first South African player to take 100 Test wickets.Making his Test debut in 1953 at home against New Zealand, he had only 9... |
|
| Dennis Amiss Dennis Amiss Dennis Leslie Amiss MBE was an English cricketer and cricket administrator.Amiss suffered a serious back injury whilst playing soccer in his teenage years, which entailed him starting each day of his sporting life undergoing stretching routines to loosen up.He played cricket for both Warwickshire... |
|
| Trevor Bailey Trevor Bailey Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting... |
|
| Eddie Barlow Eddie Barlow Edgar John Barlow was a South African cricketer . Barlow played first-class cricket for Transvaal and Eastern Province from 1959-60 to 1967-68 before moving to Western Province for the seasons from 1968-69 to 1980-81... |
|
| Ken Barrington Ken Barrington Kenneth Frank Barrington , better known as Ken Barrington, played for the English cricket team and Surrey County Cricket Club in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a right-handed batsman and occasional leg-spin bowler, well known for his jovial good humour and long, defensive innings "batting with bulldog... |
|
| Richie Benaud Richie Benaud Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game.... |
|
| Geoff Boycott | |
| Mike Brearley Mike Brearley John Michael Brearley OBE is a former cricketer who captained the England cricket team in 31 of his 39 Test matches, winning 17 and losing only 4. He was the President of the Marylebone Cricket Club in 2007–08.-Early life:... |
|
| 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.... |
|
| Chandra Chandrasekhar | |
| Brian Close Brian Close Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,... |
|
| Denis Compton Denis Compton Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer... |
|
| Bevan Congdon Bevan Congdon Bevan Ernest Congdon OBE is a former New Zealand all-rounder who played 61 Test matches from 1965 to 1978. He was captain of the New Zealand Test and ODI team from 1972 to 1974. Congdon was the first New Zealand captain to record a victory over Australia... |
|
| 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 Denness Mike Denness Mike Denness is a former Scottish cricketer who played for England, Scotland, Essex and Kent. Scotland did not have a representative international team at the time of Denness' career, so he could only play for England at Test and ODI level. Denness became the first Scotsman to captain England... |
|
| Ted Dexter Ted Dexter Edward Ralph Dexter CBE is a former English cricketer... |
|
| John Edrich John Edrich John Edrich, MBE is a former English cricketer, who played for Surrey and England. He earned a reputation as a dogged and fearless batsman, and his figures show that he was amongst the best players of his generation... |
|
| Godfrey Evans Godfrey Evans Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches... |
|
| Keith Fletcher Keith Fletcher Keith Fletcher is a former English cricketer, who played for Essex and England. He later became England's team manager. His nickname was "The Gnome of Essex", so christened by his Essex team-mate, Ray East, because Fletcher's winklepickers had begun to curl up at the toes due to wear... |
|
| Roy Fredericks Roy Fredericks Roy Clifton Fredericks was a West Indian cricketer who played from 1968 to 1977.... |
|
| Lance Gibbs Lance Gibbs Lancelot Richard Gibbs is a former West Indies cricketer, one of the most successful spin bowlers in Test cricket history. He took 309 Test wickets, only the second player to pass 300, the first spinner to pass that milestone, and had an exceptional economy rate of under two runs per over... |
|
| Tom Graveney Tom Graveney Thomas William Graveney in Riding Mill, Northumberland, is a former English cricketer and was the President of the Marylebone Cricket Club for 2004/5. He went to Bristol Grammar School... |
|
| Tony Greig Tony Greig Anthony "Tony" William Greig is a former English Test cricketer and currently a commentator.Born in Queenstown, South Africa, Greig qualified to play for England by virtue of his Scottish father. He was a tall batting all-rounder who bowled both medium pace and off spin. He became captain of the... |
|
| Charlie Griffith Charlie Griffith Charles Christopher Griffith is a former West Indian cricketer who played in 28 Tests from 1960 to 1969. He formed a lethal fast bowling partnership with Wes Hall during the 1960s... |
|
| 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... |
|
| John Hampshire John Hampshire John Harry Hampshire John Harry Hampshire John Harry Hampshire (born 10 February 1941, Thurnscoe (near Barnsley, Yorkshire) better known as Jack Hampshire, is a former English cricketer, who played eight Tests and three ODIs for England between 1969 and 1975. He played first-class cricket for... |
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| Ray Illingworth Ray Illingworth Raymond Illingworth, CBE is a former English cricketer, cricket commentator and cricket administrator. He was one of only nine players to have taken 2,000 wickets and made 20,000 runs in First class cricket, and the last one to do so... |
|
| 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... |
|
| Alan Knott Alan Knott Alan Philip Eric Knott is a former Kent County Cricket Club and English cricketer, as a wicket-keeper-batsman.... |
|
| Jim Laker Jim Laker James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia... |
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| Denis Lindsay Denis Lindsay Denis Thomson Lindsay played 19 Tests for South Africa. He later became a cricket referee. His father, Johnny, also played Test cricket for South Africa.-External links:*... |
|
| Clive Lloyd Clive Lloyd Clive Hubert Lloyd CBE AO is a former West Indies cricketer. He captained the West Indies between 1974 and 1985 and oversaw their rise to become the dominant Test-playing nation, a position that was only relinquished in the latter half of the 1990s... |
|
| Brian Luckhurst Brian Luckhurst Brian William Luckhurst was an English cricketer, who played his entire county career for Kent County Cricket Club. He played for Kent from 1958 to 1976, usually opening the batting, then in 1985, in an emergency, played in one more match against the Australians. He was cricket manager from 1981... |
|
| Colin McDonald | |
| Garth McKenzie | |
| Colin Milburn Colin Milburn Colin Milburn was an English cricketer, who played in nine Test matches for England, before an accident led to the loss of much of his sight and prompted his retirement.... |
|
| Hanif Mohammad Hanif Mohammad Hanif Mohammad is a former Pakistan cricketer. He played for the Pakistani cricket team in 55 Test matches between 1952/53 and 1969/70 and averaged 43.98, with twelve hundreds.... |
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| Arthur Morris Arthur Morris Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of... |
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| Deryck Murray Deryck Murray Deryck Lance Murray is a former West Indies cricketer. A wicketkeeper and right-handed batsman, Murray kept wicket to the potent West Indian fast bowling attacks of the 1970s ; his efficient glovework effected 189 Test dismissals and greatly enhanced the potency of the bowling attack.Murray... |
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| Mushtaq Mohammad Mushtaq Mohammad Mushtaq Mohammad is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 57 Tests and 10 ODIs from 1959 to 1979. A right-handed batsman and a leg-spinner, he is one of the most successful Pakistani all-rounders and went on to captain his country in nineteen Test matches... |
|
| Seymour Nurse Seymour Nurse Seymour MacDonald Nurse is a Barbadian former cricketer. Nurse played 29 Test matches for the West Indies between 1960 and 1969. A powerfully built right-hand batsman and an aggressive, if somewhat impetuous, shotmaker, Nurse preferred to bat in the middle order but was often asked to open the... |
|
| Chris Old Chris Old Chris Old is an English former cricketer, who played in forty six Tests and thirty two ODIs from 1972 to 1981.... |
|
| Norm O'Neill Norm O'Neill Norman Clifford O'Neill OAM was an cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-handed batsman known for his back foot strokeplay, O'Neill made his state debut aged 18, before progressing to Test selection aged 21 in late 1958... |
|
| The Nawab of Pataudi Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi Mansoor Ali Khan or Mansur Ali Khan , sometimes M.A.K. Pataudi , nicknamed Tiger Pataudi, was an Indian cricketer and former captain of the Indian cricket team... |
|
| Pat Pocock Pat Pocock Pat Pocock is an English former cricketer, who played in twenty Tests and one ODI for England from 1968 to 1985.... |
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| Graeme Pollock Graeme Pollock Robert Graeme Pollock, known as Graeme, is a former cricketer. He played in 23 Test matches for South Africa and represented Transvaal and Eastern Province at domestic level.... |
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| Peter Pollock Peter Pollock Peter Maclean Pollock, has played a continuing role in the South Africa cricket team as a player, selector, and father of a future captain. He was voted a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1966... |
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| John Reid John Richard Reid John Richard Reid was a New Zealand cricketer who captained New Zealand in 34 Tests. He was the country's first cricketing leader to achieve victory, both at home against the West Indies in 1956 and the first away win, against South Africa in 1962... |
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| Barry Richards Barry Richards Barry Anderson Richards is a former South African batsman. A right-handed "talent of such enormous stature", Richards is considered one of South Africa's most successful cricketers. He was able to play only four Test matches - all against Australia - before South Africa's exclusion from the... |
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| Lawrence Rowe Lawrence Rowe Lawrence George Rowe is a former West Indian cricketer.Lawrence, also known as "Yagga", was an elegant right-handed batsman described by Michael Holding, his team mate, as "the best batsman I ever saw". It was felt that his ability was so extraordinary that Sobers believed he could have been the... |
|
| Saeed Ahmed | |
| Bobby Simpson Bob Simpson (cricketer) Robert Baddeley Simpson AO is a former cricketer who played for New South Wales, Western Australia and Australia, captaining the national team from 1963–64 until 1967–68, and again in 1977–78. He later had a highly successful term as the coach of the Australian team... |
|
| M.J.K. Smith | |
| John Snow John Snow (cricketer) John Augustine Snow played cricket for Sussex and England in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite being the son of a country vicar and publishing two volumes of poetry Snow was England's most formidable fast bowler between Fred Trueman and Bob Willis and played Test Matches with both of them at either end... |
|
| Gary Sobers | |
| Brian Statham Brian Statham John Brian "George" Statham, CBE was one of the leading English fast bowlers in 20th-century English cricket. Initially a bowler of a brisk fast-medium pace, Statham was able to remodel his action to generate enough speed to become genuinely fast... |
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| Bert Sutcliffe Bert Sutcliffe Bert Sutcliffe MBE was a New Zealand Test cricketer. Sutcliffe was a successful left-hand batsman. His batting achievements on tour in England in 1949, which included four fifties and a century in the Tests, earned him the accolade of being one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year... |
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| Bob Taylor Bob Taylor (cricketer) Robert William Taylor , known as Bob Taylor, is a former English cricketer who played as wicket-keeper for Derbyshire between 1961 and 1984 and for England between 1971 and 1984. He made 57 Test, and 639 first class cricket appearances in total, taking 1,473 catches. The 2,069 victims across his... |
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| Fred Titmus Fred Titmus Frederick John Titmus MBE was an English cricketer, whose first-class career spanned five decades. Although he was best known for his off spin , he was an accomplished lower-order batsman who deserved to be called an all-rounder, even opening the batting for England on six occasions... |
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| Fred Trueman Fred Trueman Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968... |
|
| Frank Tyson Frank Tyson Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in... |
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| Derek Underwood Derek Underwood Derek Underwood MBE is an English former international cricketer, and a former President of the MCC.... |
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| Willie Watson Willie Watson (England cricketer) William "Willie" Watson, was an English cricketer, who played for Yorkshire, Leicestershire and England. He was a double international, as Watson was also a footballer who played for England's national team.-Cricket career:... |
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| Everton Weekes Everton Weekes Sir Everton DeCourcy Weekes, KCMG, GCM, OBE is a leading former West Indian cricketer. Along with Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott, he formed what was known as "The Three Ws" of West Indian cricket.-Youth and early career:... |
Further reading
- Ted DexterTed DexterEdward Ralph Dexter CBE is a former English cricketer...
and Ian Wooldrige, The International Cavaliers' World of Cricket, Purnell, 1970