Введение
Сонни Рамадхин, CM (1 мая 1929 – 27 февраля 2022) – вест-индийский крикетчик, выдающийся боулер 1950-х годов. Он был первым из многих вест-индийских крикетчиков индийского происхождения и одним из пяти Крикетчиков года по версии Wisden в 1951 году. Наиболее известен своим выступлением в турне Вест-Индии по Англии в 1950 году, запечатленном в песне "Victory Calypso". Он также славился умением вращать мяч в обе стороны и тактикой использования трех коротких полевых игроков вместе с плотно расположенными филдерами на офсайде, чтобы усилить давление на бэтсменов. Его описывали как "невысокого, аккуратного человека, у которого рукава рубашки всегда были застегнуты на запястьях". Он был последним выжившим членом команды Вест-Индии 1950 года, которая одержала первую в истории победу в тестовой серии в Англии. Знакомство с крикетом произошло в канадской миссионерской школе в Дункан-Виллидж, однако в школе он не занимался боулингом. Под руководством и тренерской работой Оскара Роуча, также уроженца Эсперанс Виллидж, он впоследствии играл за клуб Palmiste и команду Trinidad Leaseholds. Считается, что именно под руководством Оскара Роуча Рамадхин развил свой спин-боулинг. Это выступление привело к его включению в состав команды для турне по Англии в 1950 году в возрасте 21 года. Таким образом, он стал первым крикетчиком восточноиндийского происхождения, игравшим за Вест-Индию в международном крикете. Приглашение Валентайна и Рамадина в тестовую серию изначально было воспринято как неожиданный ход в крикетных кругах, особенно в отношении Рамадина, который получил свой первый вызов в сборную после всего двух матчей первого класса. Англия выиграла первый матч серии на Old Trafford, но во втором тесте на Lord's Вест-Индия одержала победу со счетом 326 ранов, благодаря 168 невыбитым ранам Клайда Уолкотта во втором иннинге и боулингу Рамадина (11/152) и Валентайна (7/127). Это была первая в истории победа Вест-Индии в Англии, увековеченная в знаменитой "Victory Calypso":
Sonny Ramadhin, CM (1 May 1929 – 27 February 2022) was a West Indian cricketer, and was a dominant bowler of the 1950s. He was the first of many West Indian cricketers of Indian origin, and was one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1951. He is most famous for his performance in the West Indies' 1950 tour of England, which was immortalised in the song "Victory Calypso". He was also well known for his ability to turn the ball both ways and he was also largely known for using three short legs along with close in fielders on the off side during his playing days in order to exert more pressure on the batsmen. He was referred to as "a small neat man whose shirt sleeves were always buttoned at the wrist". He was the last surviving member of the 1950 West Indies team that secured the West Indies' first ever Test series win in England. He was introduced to cricket at the Canadian Mission School in Duncan Village, but did not bowl while in school. Under the captaincy and coaching of Oscar Roach, who was also born in Esperance Village, he later played for the Palmiste Club and the Trinidad Leaseholds team. It is also believed that Ramadhin developed his spin bowling under Oscar Roach. This performance led to his selection for the 1950 tour to England at the age of 21. He thus became the first cricketer of East Indian origin to play for the West Indies in international cricket. The inclusion of both Valentine and Ramadhin for the test series was initially deemed as a surprise call in cricketing circles, especially someone like Ramadhin who received his maiden test call up after having featured in only two first class matches. England won the first match of the series at Old Trafford, but in the second Test, at Lord's, the West Indies recorded a 326 run victory, thanks to Clyde Walcott's 168 not out in the second innings, and to the bowling of Ramadhin (11 for 152) and Valentine (7 for 127). This was West Indies' first ever Test victory in England, and it was commemorated in the famous "Victory Calypso":
The 1950 win by the West Indies led Lord Beginner to write the first in a deluge of calypsos celebrating West Indian cricketers, giving rise to calypso cricket. Ramadhin bowled the leg break and off break without a discernible change in his action. He and fellow spinner Alf Valentine continued to dominate and wreaking havoc on the English batting in the 1950 series, taking 59 wickets between them. They also bowled in tandem for several overs in their debut series (Ramadhin bowled 377.5 overs while Valentine ended up bowling 422.3 overs). West Indies also notably secured historic win at Lord's for the first time during the series. The Wisden heaped praise on his bowling performance in England by stating "No blame could be attached to pitch Ramadhin bowled with the guile of a veteran. He pitched a tantalizing length, bowled straight at the wicket and spun enough to beat the bat." He also received praise from former English player Denis Compton who described Ramadhin as "the best match winning bowler in the world". He was the first bowler to take two five wicket hauls in his first two Test matches, against England. In the 1957 tour of England Ramadhin still exerted his hold over batsmen, taking 7/49 to dismiss England for 186 in the first innings of the First Test at Edgbaston. The West Indies made 474 in its first innings. Then Colin Cowdrey joined Peter May at 113/3 in the second innings, still 175 runs behind. May and Cowdrey padded away any ball from Ramadhin outside off stump, where they could not be given out leg before wicket. May made 285 not out and Cowdrey 154 and together added 411 runs in 511 minutes, the third highest stand in Test cricket at the time, the highest for the fourth wicket until 2009, the highest stand ever made for England and the highest stand against the West Indies by any team. Ramadhin was forced to bowl 98–35–179–2, the most overs by a bowler in a first class innings. England won the series 3–0. In 1964/65 he played for Lancashire, terminating his contract abruptly when he lost form. From 1968 until 1972, he represented Lincolnshire in the Minor Counties Championship. In June 1988, Ramadhin was celebrated on the 75c Trinidad and Tobago stamp alongside the Barbados Cricket Buckle.
Победа Вест-Индии в 1950 году вдохновила Лорда Бигенера на написание первой из множества калипсо, прославляющих вест-индийских крикетчиков, что дало начало калипсо-крикету. Рамадхин выполнял леги и оф-брейк без заметных изменений в технике. Он и его коллега-спинболер Альф Валентайн продолжали доминировать и сеять хаос в английской линии бэтсменов в серии 1950 года, взяв вместе 59 калиток. Они также боулинговали в тандеме в течение нескольких оверов в своей дебютной серии (Рамадхин отбоулинговал 377.5 оверов, а Валентайн – 422.3 овера). Вест-Индия также впервые в истории одержала историческую победу на Lord's в ходе этой серии. Wisden высоко оценил его боулинг в Англии, заявив: "Нельзя винить питч, Рамадхин боулинговал с хитростью опытного игрока. Он бросал мяч на обманчивую длину, бросал прямо в ворота и придавал ему достаточно вращения, чтобы обмануть биту". Он также получил похвалу от бывшего английского игрока Дениса Комптона, который назвал Рамадина "лучшим в мире боулером, приносящим победы". Он был первым боулером, взявшим два пятивикетных хет-трика в своих первых двух тестовых матчах против Англии. В турне по Англии в 1957 году Рамадхин по-прежнему оказывал давление на бэтсменов, взяв 7/49 и выбив Англию на 186 ранов в первом иннинге первого теста на Edgbaston. Вест-Индия набрала 474 рана в своем первом иннинге. Затем Колин Каудри присоединился к Питеру Мэю при счете 113/3 во втором иннинге, отставая на 175 ранов. Мэй и Каудри отбивали любые мячи от Рамадина за пределами оф-столба, где их нельзя было вывести из игры по правилу LBW. Мэй набрал 285 невыбитых ранов, а Каудри – 154, и вместе они добавили 411 ранов за 511 минут, что на тот момент было третьим по величине партнерством в тестовом крикете, самым высоким для четвертого викета до 2009 года, самым высоким партнерством, когда-либо заключенным для Англии, и самым высоким партнерством против Вест-Индии любой командой. Рамадину пришлось отбоулинговать 98–35–179–2, что является наибольшим количеством оверов, отбоулингованных боулером в иннинге первого класса. Англия выиграла серию со счетом 3–0. В 1964/65 году он играл за Lancashire, но внезапно расторг контракт, потеряв форму. С 1968 по 1972 год он представлял Lincolnshire в чемпионате Minor Counties. В июне 1988 года Рамадхин был увековечен на 75-центовой почтовой марке Тринидада и Тобаго вместе с Барбадосским крикетным пряжкой.
Sonny Ramadhin, CM (1 May 1929 – 27 February 2022) was a West Indian cricketer, and was a dominant bowler of the 1950s. He was the first of many West Indian cricketers of Indian origin, and was one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1951. He is most famous for his performance in the West Indies' 1950 tour of England, which was immortalised in the song "Victory Calypso". He was also well known for his ability to turn the ball both ways and he was also largely known for using three short legs along with close in fielders on the off side during his playing days in order to exert more pressure on the batsmen. He was referred to as "a small neat man whose shirt sleeves were always buttoned at the wrist". He was the last surviving member of the 1950 West Indies team that secured the West Indies' first ever Test series win in England. He was introduced to cricket at the Canadian Mission School in Duncan Village, but did not bowl while in school. Under the captaincy and coaching of Oscar Roach, who was also born in Esperance Village, he later played for the Palmiste Club and the Trinidad Leaseholds team. It is also believed that Ramadhin developed his spin bowling under Oscar Roach. This performance led to his selection for the 1950 tour to England at the age of 21. He thus became the first cricketer of East Indian origin to play for the West Indies in international cricket. The inclusion of both Valentine and Ramadhin for the test series was initially deemed as a surprise call in cricketing circles, especially someone like Ramadhin who received his maiden test call up after having featured in only two first class matches. England won the first match of the series at Old Trafford, but in the second Test, at Lord's, the West Indies recorded a 326 run victory, thanks to Clyde Walcott's 168 not out in the second innings, and to the bowling of Ramadhin (11 for 152) and Valentine (7 for 127). This was West Indies' first ever Test victory in England, and it was commemorated in the famous "Victory Calypso":
The 1950 win by the West Indies led Lord Beginner to write the first in a deluge of calypsos celebrating West Indian cricketers, giving rise to calypso cricket. Ramadhin bowled the leg break and off break without a discernible change in his action. He and fellow spinner Alf Valentine continued to dominate and wreaking havoc on the English batting in the 1950 series, taking 59 wickets between them. They also bowled in tandem for several overs in their debut series (Ramadhin bowled 377.5 overs while Valentine ended up bowling 422.3 overs). West Indies also notably secured historic win at Lord's for the first time during the series. The Wisden heaped praise on his bowling performance in England by stating "No blame could be attached to pitch Ramadhin bowled with the guile of a veteran. He pitched a tantalizing length, bowled straight at the wicket and spun enough to beat the bat." He also received praise from former English player Denis Compton who described Ramadhin as "the best match winning bowler in the world". He was the first bowler to take two five wicket hauls in his first two Test matches, against England. In the 1957 tour of England Ramadhin still exerted his hold over batsmen, taking 7/49 to dismiss England for 186 in the first innings of the First Test at Edgbaston. The West Indies made 474 in its first innings. Then Colin Cowdrey joined Peter May at 113/3 in the second innings, still 175 runs behind. May and Cowdrey padded away any ball from Ramadhin outside off stump, where they could not be given out leg before wicket. May made 285 not out and Cowdrey 154 and together added 411 runs in 511 minutes, the third highest stand in Test cricket at the time, the highest for the fourth wicket until 2009, the highest stand ever made for England and the highest stand against the West Indies by any team. Ramadhin was forced to bowl 98–35–179–2, the most overs by a bowler in a first class innings. England won the series 3–0. In 1964/65 he played for Lancashire, terminating his contract abruptly when he lost form. From 1968 until 1972, he represented Lincolnshire in the Minor Counties Championship. In June 1988, Ramadhin was celebrated on the 75c Trinidad and Tobago stamp alongside the Barbados Cricket Buckle.
Личная жизнь и смерть
После завершения карьеры в международном крикете он поселился в Англии. Он прожил в Дельфе последние около 12 лет своей жизни. Его внук, Кайл Хогг, был быстрым подающим, который играл за «Ланкашир» с 2001 по 2014 год. Его зять, Вилли Хогг, также играл в крикет первого класса за «Ланкашир».