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Full name | Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Saint Michael, Barbados |
1 August 1924|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 13 March 1967 Kingston, Jamaica |
(aged 42)|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | Tae, Flanny | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting style | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling style |
Slow left arm orthodox Left arm medium |
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Relations | Larry Worrell (cousin) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut (cap 61) | 11 February 1948 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 26 August 1963 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1941–1947 | Barbados | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1947–1964 | Jamaica | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 8 January 2009 |
Sir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell (1 August 1924 – 13 March 1967), sometimes referred to by his nickname of Tae, was a West Indies cricketer and Jamaican senator. A stylish right-handed batsman and useful left-arm seam bowler, he became famous in the 1950s as the first black captain of the West Indies cricket team. Along with Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott, he formed what was known as "The Three Ws" of the West Indian cricket. He was the first of the two batsmen to have been involved in two 500-run partnerships in first-class cricket, the latter being Ravindra Jadeja.
By 1947 his mother had moved to New York City and his father was away at sea most of the time so Worrell moved to Jamaica.
As a player for West Indies, Worrell made his debut in 1947–48 versus the England team of Gubby Allen. Following this series he took up residence in Lancashire, England to play for Radcliffe in the Central Lancashire League and to read economics at Manchester University. He made his highest Test score of 261 against England at Trent Bridge in 1950, and was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1951.
Following a successful campaign led by C. L. R. James, who was then editor of The Nation in Trinidad, the period of white Test captaincy in the West Indies came to an end. Worrell became the first black cricketer to captain the West Indies cricket team for an entire series, thus breaking the colour barriers then found in West Indian cricket. He led the side on two particularly notable tours. The first was to Australia in 1960–61. Both Worrell and his opposing captain, Richie Benaud, encouraged their teams to play attacking cricket. The first Test of the series ended in a dramatic tie. Though West Indies lost the series 2-1, with one draw in addition to the tie, they took much credit for contributing to the series. Such was their performance and conduct on Australian soil that they were given a large ticker-tape parade in Australia at the end of their tour.