West Indian cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1930–31

The West Indies cricket team toured New Zealand and Australia from November 1930 to March 1931 and played a five-match Test series against the Australia national cricket team. Australia won the series 4–1. Australia were captained by Bill Woodfull, while the West Indies were coached by Jackie Grant. In addition, the West Indians played nine first-class matches against Australian state teams and, in November, one match in New Zealand against Wellington.

The West Indies team in Melbourne in 1930.

Team

• Jackie Grant (captain)
• Lionel Birkett (vice-captain)
• Ivan Barrow
• Barto Bartlett
• Learie Constantine
• Frank de Caires
• George Francis
• Herman Griffith
• George Headley
• Errol Hunte
• Frank Martin
• Clifford Roach
• Tommy Scott
• Derek Sealy
• Edwin St Hill
• Vibart Wight

The manager was R. H. Mallett.

New Zealand series summary

12–13 November 1930 (2-day match) Scorecard

Wellington	v	West Indies
195 (73.3 overs) HM McGirr 37 LN Constantine 6/24 (14.3 overs)		128/4 (36 overs) LS Birkett 40* ED Blundell 3/33 (11 overs)

Match drawn Basin Reserve, Wellington Umpires: LT Cobcroft and WP Page

• Wellington won the toss and decided to bat
• Only 90 minutes of play was possible on the second day due to rain

Test series summary

First Test

12–16 December 1930 (Timeless Test) Scorecard

West Indies	v	Australia
296 (127.1 overs) EL Bartlett 84 CV Grimmett 7/87 (48 overs)		376 (117.5 overs) AF Kippax 146 OC Scott 4/83 (20.5 overs)
249 (98 overs) GC Grant 71* A Hurwood 4/86 (34 overs)		0/172 (55.3 overs) WH Ponsford 92*

Australia won by 10 wickets Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Umpires: GA Hele and AG Jenkins

• West Indies won the toss and elected to bat.
• 14 December was taken as a rest day.
• LS Birkett and GC Grant (both WIN), and A Hurwood (AUS) made their Test debuts.

Second Test

1–5 January 1931 (Timeless Test) Scorecard

Australia	v	West Indies
369 (116.4 overs) WH Ponsford 183 OC Scott 4/66 (15.4 overs)		107 (50.1 overs) IM Barrow 17 CV Grimmett 4/54 (19.1 overs)
		90 (f/o) (30.3 overs) CA Roach 25 A Hurwood 4/22 (11 overs)

Australia won by an innings and 172 runs Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Umpires: GE Borwick and WG French

• Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
• 4 January was taken as a rest day.
• There was no play on the second day.

Third Test

16–20 January 1931 (Timeless Test) Scorecard

Australia	v	West Indies
558 (147 overs) DG Bradman 223 HC Griffith 4/133 (33 overs)		193 (104.3 overs) GA Headley 102* RK Oxenham 4/39 (30 overs)
		148 (f/o) (60.3 overs) GA Headley 28 CV Grimmett 5/49 (14.3 overs)

Australia won by an innings and 217 runs Exhibition Ground, Brisbane Umpires: JP Orr and AE Wyeth

• Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
• 18 January was taken as a rest day.

Fourth Test

13–14 February 1931 (Timeless Test) Scorecard

West Indies	v	Australia
99 (50 overs) GA Headley 33 H Ironmonger 7/23 (20 overs)		8/328d (89.2 overs) DG Bradman 152 FR Martin 3/91 (30.2 overs)
107 (35.4 overs) OC Scott 20* AG Fairfax 4/31 (14 overs)

Australia won by an innings and 122 runs Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Umpires: AN Barlow and J Richards

• West Indies won the toss and elected to bat.

Fifth Test

27 February–4 March 1931 (Timeless Test) Scorecard

West Indies	v	Australia
6/350d (135 overs) FR Martin 123* CV Grimmett 3/100 (33 overs)		224 (79.2 overs) AG Fairfax 54 GN Francis 4/48 (19 overs)
5/124d (51 overs) CA Roach 34 H Ironmonger 2/44 (16 overs)		220 (75.3 overs) AG Fairfax 60* HC Griffith 4/50 (13.3 overs)

West Indies won by 30 runs Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Umpires: HJ Armstrong and WG French

• West Indies won the toss and elected to bat.
• 1 March was taken as a rest day.
• There was no play on the fourth day.
• KE Rigg (AUS) made his Test debut.

External links

• West Indies in Australia and New Zealand 1930-31 at CricketArchive
• West Indies to Australia 1930-31 at Test Cricket Tours

Annual reviews

• Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1932

Further reading

• Bill Frindall, The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978, Wisden, 1979
• Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
• Ray Robinson, On Top Down Under, Cassell, 1975