Vincent Valentine (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Vincent Adolphus Valentine - An affable player of the 1930’s, Vincent Valentine was born in Portland, Jamaica
on April 4, 1908, and died in Kingston
, Jamaica on July 6, 1972, aged 64. He was a fast-medium bowler that never really gave batsmen an easy shot, keeping as he did a perfect length, turning the ball both ways off the pitch and swinging it sharply through the air. He was also a forceful lower-order batsman and a safe fielder
. He made his first-class
debut for Jamaica in a memorable match at Melbourne Park
, in February 1932 playing against Lord Tennyson’s touring team. Although he did not bat, due solely to Jamaica’s first innings score of 702 for 5 declared, he took four wickets in the match to play his part in Jamaica’s victory by an innings and 97 runs. It was in this particular match that George Headley
(344 not out) and Clarence Passailaigue
(261 not out) made an unbeaten stand of 487 that remains a sixth-wicket record record. After just one further match a year later, a match in which he did nothing of note with either the bat or the ball, he was selected for the West Indies tour to England
in 1933. In truth, he only made the tour as a substitute for Learie Constantine
who had availability restrictions due to his Lancashire League commitments for Nelson
. Nineteen of Valentine’s 24 first-class matches came on the tour, including his two Test
matches (the 2nd and 3rd of the trip) in which his most noted achievement was his 19 not out in the visitor’s second innings at Old Trafford. Valentine’s death in 1972 went unreported at the time and therefore no obituary appeared for him within the pages of Wisden.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
on April 4, 1908, and died in Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, Jamaica on July 6, 1972, aged 64. He was a fast-medium bowler that never really gave batsmen an easy shot, keeping as he did a perfect length, turning the ball both ways off the pitch and swinging it sharply through the air. He was also a forceful lower-order batsman and a safe fielder
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...
. He made 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...
debut for Jamaica in a memorable match at Melbourne Park
Melbourne Park, Kingston
Melbourne Park is a cricket ground in Kingston, Jamaica. It is the home of Melbourne Cricket Club, the third oldest cricket club in Jamaica. The ground hosted first-class cricket on 23 occasions between 1908-09 and 1961-62. Although the ground has not been used for a first-class match since then,...
, in February 1932 playing against Lord Tennyson’s touring team. Although he did not bat, due solely to Jamaica’s first innings score of 702 for 5 declared, he took four wickets in the match to play his part in Jamaica’s victory by an innings and 97 runs. It was in this particular match that George Headley
George Headley
George Alphonso Headley was a West Indian cricketer who played 22 Test matches, mostly before the Second World War. Considered one of the best batsmen to play for West Indies and one of the greatest cricketers of all time, Headley also represented Jamaica and played professional club cricket in...
(344 not out) and Clarence Passailaigue
Clarence Passailaigue
Charles Clarence Passailaigue - Passailaigue was born in Kingston on August 4, 1901 and died at Montego Bay, St. James, Jamaica on January 7, 1972, aged 70. Although his career spanned the entire decade of the 1930s, in truth Passailaigue played first-class cricket only sporadically...
(261 not out) made an unbeaten stand of 487 that remains a sixth-wicket record record. After just one further match a year later, a match in which he did nothing of note with either the bat or the ball, he was selected for the West Indies tour to England
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....
in 1933. In truth, he only made the tour as a substitute for Learie Constantine
Learie Constantine
Learie Nicholas Constantine, Baron Constantine MBE was a West Indian cricketer who played 18 Test matches before the Second World War. He took West Indies' first wicket in Test cricket and was the team's leading all-rounder and opening bowler for the entirety of his career...
who had availability restrictions due to his Lancashire League commitments for Nelson
Nelson Cricket Club
Nelson Cricket Club, based at Seedhill in Nelson, Lancashire, are a cricket club in the Lancashire League. They play at the Seedhill ground in Nelson. Their captain for the 2011 season is Thomas Lord and their professional is New Zealand international player Luke Woodcock.Nelson Cricket Club was...
. Nineteen of Valentine’s 24 first-class matches came on the tour, including his two 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...
matches (the 2nd and 3rd of the trip) in which his most noted achievement was his 19 not out in the visitor’s second innings at Old Trafford. Valentine’s death in 1972 went unreported at the time and therefore no obituary appeared for him within the pages of Wisden.