Gerry Alexander facts for kids
Alexander at Cambridge in 1952
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name |
Franz Copeland Murray Alexander
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 November 1928 Kingston, Colony of Jamaica |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 16 April 2011 (aged 82) Orange Grove, Jamaica |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper | |||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 96) | 25 July 1957 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 10 February 1961 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 19 April 2011
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Franz Copeland Murray Alexander (2 November 1928 – 16 April 2011), known as Gerry Alexander, was a famous cricketer from Jamaica. He played 25 Test matches for the West Indies. Gerry was a wicket-keeper, which means he caught balls behind the stumps. He made 90 catches or stumpings in his Test matches. He also batted well, scoring one century (100 runs) in a Test match.
Gerry Alexander was the last white player to be captain of the West Indies cricket team. He led the team in several important series. He was known for being a strong leader. For example, he sent a player home from a tour because of bad behavior. This showed he cared about team discipline.
Contents
Early Life and Sports Talents
Gerry Alexander went to Wolmer's Boys' School in Jamaica. This is one of the oldest schools in the West Indies. Later, he studied at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in England.
While at Cambridge, he was a talented athlete. He played for the Cambridge cricket team in 1952 and 1953. He earned a "Blue" in both years. A "Blue" is a special award for top athletes at Cambridge. He also played football (soccer) for Cambridge. He was so good that he played for the England amateur team. He even won a cup with his football club, Pegasus. In 1956, he played football for Great Britain in a game against Bulgaria.
Gerry Alexander's Test Cricket Journey
Gerry Alexander started playing for Jamaica in 1957. Soon after, he was chosen to be the wicket-keeper for the West Indies team. This team was going on a tour to England. His selection was a bit surprising to some people.
He played in the last two Test matches of that series. After the series, the West Indies captain retired. Many thought a black player would become the new captain. But the top players were not available. So, Gerry Alexander was asked to lead the team. He was very good at bringing the team together. He helped turn a group of talented players into a strong, winning team.
Leading the West Indies Team
In 1958, Gerry Alexander led the West Indies to a big win against Pakistan at home. He also played better himself, scoring 57 runs in one important game.
Next, the West Indies toured India and Pakistan. This was a tough tour because some of their best batsmen were not playing. But Alexander's team still won three Tests against India. In one match, he scored 70 runs to help save the game.
During the tour, a player named Roy Gilchrist caused problems. He bowled dangerous balls on purpose when he was angry. Gerry Alexander, as captain, told him to stop. When Gilchrist did not listen, Alexander made a tough decision. He sent Gilchrist home from the tour. This showed Alexander's strong leadership. He wanted his team to play fairly and with discipline.
The West Indies lost their first two Tests against Pakistan. But they won the third match. This was Pakistan's first loss at home.
In the next series, the West Indies played against England. They lost the series, but Alexander did well as a wicket-keeper. He made 23 dismissals, which was a world record at the time.
Passing on the Captaincy
After this series, Frank Worrell returned to the West Indies team. Many people wanted Worrell to become the new captain. Gerry Alexander accepted this decision well. He supported Worrell, who was a good friend. Alexander had taken a team that was struggling and made it strong again. He built the foundation for their future successes.
Gerry Alexander had a great tour of Australia in 1960-61. He batted very well, scoring 108 runs in one Test match in Sydney. This was his only century in first-class cricket. He also continued to be an excellent wicket-keeper. After this successful tour, he decided to retire from cricket.
Life After Cricket
After his cricket career, Gerry Alexander returned to the West Indies. He became a veterinary surgeon, which is an animal doctor. He eventually became the Chief Veterinary Officer in Jamaica.
In 1982, Jamaica honored him with the Order of Distinction. This award recognized his great contributions to sports. Gerry Alexander passed away on 16 April 2011, at the age of 82. His wife, Barbara, had died just a few weeks before him. They had two children.
