The Hindu : All about Port of Spain

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 19, 2002

Sport

Sport - Cricket

All about Port of Spain

By Mohandas Menon

** Port of Spain, which is the capital and main seaport of Trinidad & Tobago, is located in the west coast of the Caribbean island of Trinidad on the Gulf of Paria. It was first visited by Christopher Columbus in 1498. A native American village, Conquerabia, occupied the site when the Spanish, who settled in 1595, renamed the community Puerto de Espaqa. After the British took control of the island in 1797, the settlements' name was anglicised to Port of Spain.

** Cricket has been played at Port of Spain since 1842, with the formation of the Trinidad Club. First-class cricket was introduced at the Queen's Park Savannah in 1868. The present ground — Queen's Park Oval which was called St. Clair Oval then — has been hosting first-class matches since September 1896. Over 200 first-class matches have been played here.

** The venue hosted its first Test match when England played the West Indies in February 1930. In all 50 Tests have been held here, with the home team winning 17 and losing 13. India has played in 11 Tests here and has the distinction of winning its only two Test matches in the Caribbean — in 1971 and 1976 — here but has also lost three Tests at the venue.

** Highest team scores: 681-8 decl. by WI v Eng, 1953-54; 600-9 decl. by Aus v WI, 1954-55. Highest for India: 469-7 decl. v WI, 1982-83.

** Lowest team scores: 46 by Eng v WI, 1993-94; 51 by WI v Aus1998-99. Lowest by India: 98 v WI, 1961-62.

** Highest individual scores: 220 by S.M. Gavaskar for Ind v WI, 1970-71; 207by E. D. Weekes for WI v Ind, 1952-53. In all, 81 hundreds have been scored at this venue.

** Best bowling (in an innings): 9-95 by J.M. Noreiga for WI v Ind, 1970-71; 8-29 by C.E.H. Croft for WI v Pak, 1976-77; 8-53 by A.R.C. Fraser for Eng v WI, 1997-98; 8-86 by A.W. Greig for Eng v WI, 1973-74. Best for India: 7-162 by S.P. Gupte v WI, 1952-53.

** Best bowling (in a match): 13-156 by A.Greig for Eng v WI, 1973-74.

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