Wes Hall, fearsome West Indies fast bowler is 80 years old today..a fantastic athlete, great bowling action, he later got involved in W.I. politics.

'Sir Wesley Winfield Hall (born 12 September 1937) is a Barbadian former cricketer and politician. A tall, strong and powerfully built man, Hall was a genuine fast bowler and despite his very long run up, he was renowned for his ability to bowl long spells. Hall played 48 Test matches for the West Indies from 1958 to 1969. Hall's opening bowling partnership with fellow Barbadian Charlie Griffith was a feature of the strong West Indies teams throughout the 1960s. Hall was one of the most popular cricketers of his day and was especially popular in Australia, where he played two seasons in the Sheffield Shield with Queensland. [WIKI]

I know it was only Tony Lock and Brian Statham, but check out those two deliveries...the footage is from the Oval Test 1963 - the Oval packed out with West Indians...not any more they've been priced out of there...[3 mins 50 seconds]


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPrFK-vvpfk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Successful pro for Accrington in the early 1960s when you could see most of the WIndies test team in the Lancashire League.

Not saying that his run up was long when in the LL, but he used to push himself off the sight screens on some grounds. Awesome. Anyone on here faced him and if so what was it like?

summitclaret wrote:Not saying that his run up was long when in the LL, but he used to push himself off the sight screens on some grounds. Awesome. Anyone on here faced him and if so what was it like?

I don't know any Wes Hall tales but a Lowerhouse player of yesteryear and a good friend of mine said he once asked the Lowerhouse captain what to do when facing Charlie Griffith. The reply ""You set off running we he does lad""

CleggHall wrote:Successful pro for Accrington in the early 1960s when you could see most of the WIndies test team in the Lancashire League.

Wes Hall at Accrington, Charlie Griffith at Burnley, Conrad Hunte at Enfield, Seymour Nurse at Ramsbottom. All bring back fond memories as a youngster in the early 60's. Many more greats too at my hometown club such as Clive Lloyd and a few years later, DK Lillee.

I vividly remember Griffith at Burnley (1964 & 1967) but not Wes Hall at Accy although I must have seen him, he was there from 1960 to 1962.

Among one of the finest bowlers I've ever seen though with the text book run up and action. Isn't he a preacher now?

ClaretTony wrote:I vividly remember Griffith at Burnley (1964 & 1967) but not Wes Hall at Accy although I must have seen him, he was there from 1960 to 1962.

Among one of the finest bowlers I've ever seen though with the text book run up and action. Isn't he a preacher now?

He was ordained several years ago, however, I thought that he was a preacher when he was at Accrington --I saw lots of
batsman saying their prayers when he was bowling against them
The early 60s in the Lancashire League were great days with the quality of professionals playing throughout the league and there were some fine amatuer players at the time too.

Used to play with bat and ball against my dad's door and fenced section by back door. Playing the rest matches England v WI. Often with radio commentary on at same time. Used to bounce the ball off the door extra hard for Hall and Griffiths, making it hard to then bar it away. Whacked it extra hard when batting like Rohan Kanhai and Gary Sobers! Broke the door and fenced over time! Kept all the scores and wicket takers in a big book. Childhood!

Silkyskills1 wrote:Wes Hall at Accrington, Charlie Griffith at Burnley, Conrad Hunte at Enfield, Seymour Nurse at Ramsbottom. All bring back fond memories as a youngster in the early 60's. Many more greats too at my hometown club such as Clive Lloyd and a few years later, DK Lillee.

When the thread went up my first thought was of the West indian quick at Bacup but his name beats me, Silky. Same era, can you bail me out? Found him, on Bacup CC history page. Roy Gilchrist.

PS. Clive Lloyd was a God back then.Finest cover point ever, could hit a ball miles, turned his arm over and caught everything.

Gilchrist was hostile in more ways than one. Played for Bacup and then Lowerhouse.

Gilchrist was hostile in more ways than one. Played for Bacup and then Lowerhouse.

Gilchrist was an angry little man, tiny for a fast bowler but regularly sent down beamers attempting to behead batsmen. Banned by the WIndies but wreaked havoc in the Lancs League and Central Lancs League. After one match, branded his wife with an iron for which he was sent to prison. Not a nice guy but pulled in the crowds.

I remember Wes Hall, Conrad Hunte, Collie Smith, Charlie Griffith and the rest very well and must have got their autos a thousand times. Conrad Hunte and Collie Smith both came to our house for tea and I vividly remember crying ( in Llandudno) when I read the Collie Smith had been killed in a car crash ( in Staffs I think). I was also (un)fortunate enough to face Wes Hall in the nets at Turf Moor. I seem to remember it was during one of the Police Charity games ( Police v Nomads ) that they used to have in those days. The good news is that Wes was only bowling leggies off a zero run up. As a 13 year old it was still faster than anything I had ever faced. The LL in those days was without doubt the best league in the UK and it was so exciting when the new Lancs Lg handbook came out. It had the pros photos in the center pages which I used to get signed every year. Wish I still had them today. I wonder what happened to them. Happy days

piston broke wrote:When the thread went up my first thought was of the West indian quick at Bacup but his name beats me, Silky. Same era, can you bail me out? Found him, on Bacup CC history page. Roy Gilchrist.

PS. Clive Lloyd was a God back then.Finest cover point ever, could hit a ball miles, turned his arm over and caught everything.

I was at bentgate when Lloyd made his debut. Like most in the crowd I knew nothing about him and when this tall gangly guy came out to bat, the his long arms dragging his bat on the floor, and with a pair of glasses held on by an Elastoplast at each side, I wondered what the hell we had signed. It didn't take long to find out though!

ClaretCliff wrote:I was at bentgate when Lloyd made his debut. Like most in the crowd I knew nothing about him and when this tall gangly guy came out to bat, the his long arms dragging his bat on the floor, and with a pair of glasses held on by an Elastoplast at each side, I wondered what the hell we had signed. It didn't take long to find out though!

First time I saw him was at a Burnley v Haslingden game. He had a pair of specs on with big thick frames held on with a band that went round the back of his head.

He looked anything but a sportsman but very early in the game he took a catch in the covers that was incredible. When he batted, he hit four balls in one over onto the football pitch. Mind you, there was no stand there at the time and the shots went straight through the building work.

When the big man played for Lancs, people used to go wanting us to lose two quick wickets so they could see him bat. Awesome cricketer.

Not sure there has ever been a better cricketer than Clive Lloyd. Obviously Botham comes to mind as he was clearly a superior bowler to Lloyd. Both were amazingly talented.

My former next door neighbour Fred Nuttall played for Bacup when Hall was pro. His jaw was broken by a particular ball from the West Indies man. The story goes that the ball hit him on one side of the mouth and broke his opposite jaw!!

Clive Hubert Lloyd was my summertime sporting hero. (My username is a heavy clue as to my winter sports hero).

Outstanding all-round cricketer, very fine captain and a principled gentleman.

Yes, Tony, I was one of those awaiting a couple of wickets to fall .... although I was a big fan of the Wood/Lloyd opening partnership, both far superior through my red-rose tinted glasses to the selfish blocker from over the hills.

First Lancs League match I saw was Rawtenstall v Nelson, with star performer Sarfraz Nawaz.

Very happy days indeed.

[quote="uwe"]Clive Hubert Lloyd was my summertime sporting hero. (My username is a heavy clue as to my winter sports hero).

Outstanding all-round cricketer, very fine captain and a principled gentleman.

Not all that principled during his captaincy of the West Indies. Often overlooked unacceptable behaviour from his team and did little to curb it suggesting that he condoned much of their histrionics and questionable sportsmanship.