The West Indies Cricket Team by Cricket's CRICKET In the West Indies, the first known cricket club came to existence in Barbados in the year 1806 and the inaugural first-class match took place in Bridgetown, Barbados between Barbados and Demerara (Guyana) in 1864/65. In 1892/93, the first tournament was staged between Demerara, Barbados and Trinidad. Although destined never to become an annual event, it was held in each territory in turn until 1938/39. Due to the limitations of travel in the nineteenth century, Jamaica who possessed a good side, were unable to compete and most of the matches that were of significant to them were against touring sides. Prior to the first World War, the West Indies team was given the opportunity to play first-class matches against seven touring English sides. The West Indies’ first tour of England was in 1900. During their second visit in 1906, they received first-class status, but were to win only three of their 13 high-profile matches. The West Indies were granted Test match status while touring England for the fourth time in 1928. During the inter-war period the West Indians were known for being much better players at home than they were overseas. Considering that West Indian cricket has become synonymous with fast-bowling, it is somewhat surprising that their reputation as a team capable of competing against the World’s finest, was initiated through the spin-bowling skills of Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine in the 1950s. Interestingly, in 1996, we are seeing a renaissance of spin-bowing. Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine received great support from a trio of batsman - the three "Ws"; Worrell, Walcott and Weekes. No sooner had this combination begun to fade, than Gary Sobers emerged, quickly gaining recognition as arguably the greatest all-rounder in the world. Many of the British territories gained their independence in the 1960s and even though their politics differed, four of them - Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, and Barbados - remained as a single cricketing body and have been joined by the Leeward Island and Windward Island, so that there are now six first-class teams which compete in various regional tournaments. During the 1980s with Clive Lloyd (and his predecessor, Viv Richards) at the helm, the West Indians seemed all but invincible, commanding international cricket with a string of 27 Tests without defeat. The W.I. won the first World Cup 1975 and retained the second in 1979, however to everyone's surprise, lost the 1983 series to India. The eighties were the West Indies' golden-era, with Viv Richards - the most outstanding batsman of that time and an array of formidable fast bowlers, the West Indies reached a level of success in stark contrast to their generally poor performance in the 1990s.