599:, who had toured England in 1923, were the three fast bowlers in the side, but the tour as a whole was a disappointment: "So far from improving upon the form of their predecessors, the team of 1928 fell so much below it that everybody was compelled to realise that the playing of Test Matches between England and West Indies was a mistake," wrote Wisden. Francis "although still fast, had not quite the pace or accuracy he possessed in 1923". With the side heavily reliant on their fast bowlers, the slip fielders and wicketkeepers "blundered time and again".
640:
31:
681:, although, as in England in 1928, the team's success was limited. In three of the first four Test matches, the West Indies side was beaten by an innings, but in the fifth and final Test, all three fast bowlers contributed to a narrow victory; Francis took four wickets for 48 runs in Australia's first innings. In the series as a whole, he took 11 wickets at an average of 31.81.
500:
He bowls fast and obviously scorns to conserve his strength. He is in a hurry to be at the batsman. He turns sharply to begin his run, jumps off at a great pace, throws up his arm high, and then makes a terrifying leap into the air—a leap which one feels should be accompanied by a yell. At the end of
656:
was composed partly of Test-class players – a second tour of similar standing was organised by MCC to another of the new Test nations, New
Zealand, at the same time, and some established Test players opted out of both of them. The West Indies' Test team for this series was selected match-by-match by
602:
Griffith alone of the three fast bowlers made an impact in the three Test matches, taking 11 wickets; Constantine, a failure with both bat and ball in the Tests, compensated with 1381 runs and 107 wickets in all first-class matches; Francis shone neither in the Tests nor in the other games. His six
689:
The West Indies visited
England again in 1933 and two trial matches were held in the Caribbean early in the year to select the side. Francis played in the second of these and took five wickets for 38 runs in the first innings and one for 17 in the second. These figures were not enough, however, to
581:
Francis appeared in the other two representative matches for the West Indies, one in
Trinidad and the other in British Guiana, with mixed success. In the three-match series, he took eight wickets at a high average of 37.25; in other first-class matches that season, including the two Barbados v MCC
547:
The review of the 1923 tour in Wisden
Cricketers' Almanack's 1924 edition singled Francis out for praise as "an excellent fast bowler of quite an old-fashioned type". It went on: "Scorning the 'off theory' he bowled at the wicket, and in match after match he was justified by results...Though not
577:
hit a double-century and the West Indian side collapsed twice, to be rescued from a heavy defeat by rain. A second match between MCC and
Barbados followed this and fortunes were again reversed, with MCC this time salvaging a late draw after being outplayed: Francis in this match took seven MCC
673:
with a double-century in the first innings, took credit in the Wisden report, Francis took six wickets in the match and, with
Constantine taking nine, ensured the England side was bowled out twice. Francis' first-innings figures of four for 40 were the best innings figures he achieved in Test
452:, rankled and "an unknown, a bowler at the Austin nets, had been chosen instead". James continued: "To us it seemed that here was another flagrant piece of class discrimination. But the unknown bowler was soon to make himself known and never to be forgotten." The "unknown" was Francis.
590:
The 1926 Imperial
Cricket Conference decided that representative matches between the established Test nations – England, Australia and South Africa – and three new sides from India, the West Indies and New Zealand would henceforward be considered as Test matches, and the
572:
side was beaten by an innings, and
Francis' second-innings six for 21 was at that stage the best innings analysis of his career. The match with West Indies that followed immediately afterwards, however, proved almost the opposite, and Francis took only one wicket as
611:
needed to bat only once in each of the three Tests, and the lowest total scored off the West Indies' bowling was the 351 of the second match. In the games against the first-class counties, Francis did not take five wickets in any single innings.
501:
his over he snaps up the ball, if it is anywhere within reach, and passes it hurriedly to the colleague who is having at them at the other end. With it all, his length was under control, and for a time the batsmen could make nothing of him.
603:
Test wickets cost 42 runs each and he conceded three-and-a-half runs an over; in first-class games he took just 56 wickets at an average of 31.96. He bowled West Indies' first ball in Test cricket in the game at Lord's, and in the match at
398:. He was a fast bowler of renowned pace and was notably successful on West Indies' non-Test playing tour of England in 1923, but he was probably past his peak by the time the West Indies were elevated to Test status. He was born in Trents,
647:
The next stages in the elevation of West Indies to Test status were that a team was sent to the
Caribbean in 1929–30 by Marylebone Cricket Club to play a series of four Test matches and, the following season, a
459:, was a sensation: he took four wickets for 50 in the Sussex first innings and then, when the county side was set just 99 to win the match, he took six for 33 to win the game for the West Indians by 26 runs.
631:; in the second innings, he added 73 with Griffith for the last wicket and was 32 not out when the innings ended. The 61 was Francis' highest score in first-class cricket and his only score of more than 50.
568:
twice and a West Indies representative side three times. The first
Barbados game was a dramatic success for Francis and his fast-bowling partner Herman Griffith; they each took nine wickets as the
488:, when he followed five for 31 in the first innings with five for 45 in the second, and the West Indians won the match by 10 wickets; he also took three first-innings catches off the bowling of
710:, would be released from his contract for big matches; when Constantine was not released for the first Test match at Lord's, Francis was drafted in from Radcliffe to open the bowling with
649:
512:
Francis continued to take wickets through August, although he was "indisposed" for one match. The tour finished on a high note for him: during the last match at the
653:
561:
418:
With limited opportunities in the inter-colonial cricket of the Caribbean and as a professional, Francis had played no first-class cricket when he was picked for
718:, "had lost something of his pace and nip off the pitch". He was not called on again, and the Test match proved to be his last game in first-class cricket.
505:
Unusually, Francis also contributed significantly with the bat to this victory, making 41 out of a last-wicket partnership of 136 with the opening batsman,
592:
419:
395:
677:
The following winter, Francis, with Griffith and Constantine, formed a three-man fast bowling attack in the first-ever series between the West Indies and
541:
1376:
627:
players, Francis enjoyed his best-ever match with the bat: in the first innings, he made 61 and put on 107 for the last wicket in 50 minutes with
1371:
135:
455:
The tour featured a mixture of first-class and other matches, and Francis' first appearance in a first-class game, the match against
766:
624:
678:
529:
524:
bowled for an hour and 20 minutes and took six wickets between for 19 runs before a seventh wicket partnership hit the runs off.
426:
in 1943 states that he was a "groundsman" and that his selection for the tour came about through the "influence" of the captain,
1238:
620:
180:
1293:
1287:
1202:
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1159:
1153:
1094:
1088:
1073:
1067:
1049:
1043:
962:
956:
423:
484:
Francis did not keep up this pace of wicket-taking, but he had another impressive match at the beginning of August against
1381:
608:
470:
466:
698:
as a professional for both the 1933 and 1934 seasons, following on from one of the pioneers of black cricket in England,
1366:
652:
travelled to Australia for the first Test series between those sides: Francis featured in matches in both seasons. The
1341:
703:
560:, but his main senior cricket between the 1923 and 1928 tours of England came in a series of five games against the
485:
456:
1320:
469:
first-innings wickets for 27, following up with two for 58 in the second innings. And in his third match, against
557:
237:
657:
the individual countries' cricket authorities, and Francis played in only one Test, the third match, played at
533:
388:
124:
616:
569:
521:
407:
85:
691:
517:
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628:
565:
449:
399:
66:
1361:
1356:
513:
153:
142:
1310:
707:
595:
team was the first to make this transition. Francis, along with his Barbadian partner Griffith and
208:
658:
596:
272:
578:
first-innings wickets for 50 runs and these were the best innings figures of his whole career.
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1216:
1173:
1130:
1108:
1020:
998:
976:
918:
881:
841:
819:
782:
762:
699:
520:'s XI, with the Leveson-Gower side requiring only 28 to win on the third morning, Francis and
440:
528:
reported that "the bowling of Mr Francis and Mr John may be compared to that of those famous
711:
506:
371:
312:
735:
445:
299:
670:
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662:
435:
1350:
574:
489:
427:
1242:
1314:
537:
203:
106:
639:
30:
665:; this was the West Indies' first Test victory, and though the batting, led by
615:
In a first-class festival cricket match at the end of the season against the
461:
391:
474:
465:
said that Francis bowled "very fast". In his next match, Francis took five
1325:
604:
431:
403:
509:, whose unbeaten 155 was more than half the West Indians' total of 306.
348:
286:
638:
714:. Francis failed to take a wicket in the match and, according to
702:. The tour organisers hoped that Constantine, who was playing
481:
reported that "he was much too fast for most of the batsmen".
761:(2005 ed.). Yellow Jersey Press, London. p. 127.
477:, he returned figures of three for 86 and six for 34.
444:, wrote of how the non-selection of the Trinidad-born
944:, no. 43439, London, p. 5, 6 September 1923
548:
abnormal in speed he always maintained a fine pace."
496:
provided a detailed description of Francis' bowling:
556:Francis played a little first-class cricket in the
190:
176:
163:
148:
133:
117:
112:
101:
93:
74:
52:
42:
37:
919:"Scorecard: HDG Leveson Gower's XI v West Indians"
907:, no. 43409, London, p. 5, 2 August 1923
582:games, he took 18 wickets at an average of 8.11.
867:, no. 43360, London, p. 7, 6 June 1923
808:, no. 43350, London, p. 6, 25 May 1923
394:who played in West Indies' first Test in their
1342:Scorecard for Windies first Test from Cricinfo
8:
1217:"Scorecard: G.C.Grant's XI v C.A.Merry's XI"
643:Francis in Australia during the 1930–31 tour
21:
387:(11 December 1897 – 12 January 1942) was a
1176:. www.cricketarchive.com. 27 February 1931
1133:. www.cricketarchive.com. 21 February 1930
921:. www.cricketarchive.com. 3 September 1923
29:
20:
1219:. www.cricketarchive.com. 2 February 1933
1023:. www.cricketarchive.com. 14 January 1926
1241:. Radcliffe Cricket Club. Archived from
1111:. www.cricketarchive.com. 29 August 1928
1061:
1059:
1001:. www.cricketarchive.com. 8 January 1926
979:. www.cricketarchive.com. 4 January 1926
876:
874:
884:. www.cricketarchive.com. 1 August 1923
738:. www.espncricinfo.com. 2 December 2005
727:
607:he took four wickets for 112 runs, but
1267:. www.cricketarchive.com. 24 June 1933
1109:"Scorecard: Harlequins v West Indians"
669:with a century in each innings and by
635:Tests in the West Indies and Australia
844:. www.cricketarchive.com. 2 June 1923
842:"Scorecard: Middlesex v West Indians"
822:. www.cricketarchive.com. 30 May 1923
820:"Scorecard: Hampshire v West Indians"
785:. www.cricketarchive.com. 23 May 1923
619:, an amateur team composed of former
7:
1174:"Scorecard: Australia v West Indies"
903:"West Indies do well at The Oval",
1265:"Scorecard: England v West Indies"
1152:"M.C.C. Team in the West Indies".
1131:"Scorecard: West Indies v England"
882:"Scorecard: Surrey v West Indians"
783:"Scorecard: Sussex v West Indians"
14:
940:"A Great Finish at Scarborough",
690:earn him selection and he joined
1239:"Radcliffe Cricket Club History"
1042:"M. C. C. Team in West Indies".
420:1923 West Indies tour of England
1377:Pre-1928 West Indies cricketers
804:"West Indies win at Brighton",
542:their last tour in this country
492:. In its report on this match,
999:"Scorecard: West Indies v MCC"
396:inaugural Test tour of England
1:
1195:"West Indies in Australia".
736:"Wisden: Obituaries in 1942"
1372:West Indies Test cricketers
1289:Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
1198:Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
1155:Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
1090:Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
1069:Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
1045:Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
1021:"Scorecard: Barbados v MCC"
977:"Scorecard: Barbados v MCC"
958:Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
424:Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
1398:
1286:"West Indies in England".
1087:"West Indies in England".
164:Domestic team information
113:International information
863:"Low Scoring at Lord's",
558:Inter-Colonial Tournament
368:
364:
195:
186:
171:
168:
159:
152:24 June 1933 v
141:23 June 1928 v
134:Test debut (cap
28:
586:The 1928 tour of England
414:The 1923 tour of England
406:and died at Black Rock,
385:George Nathaniel Francis
47:George Nathaniel Francis
757:C. L. R. James (2005).
654:England side of 1929–30
552:Back in the West Indies
422:. Francis' obituary in
644:
518:H. D. G. Leveson-Gower
503:
696:Bolton Cricket League
642:
498:
16:West Indian cricketer
1382:Barbadian cricketers
1066:"West Indies Tour".
955:"West Indies Tour".
625:Cambridge University
514:Scarborough Festival
410:, also in Barbados.
313:5 wickets in innings
38:Personal information
1367:Barbados cricketers
325:10 wickets in match
25:
645:
597:Learie Constantine
1321:"The 1928 series"
1292:(1934 ed.).
1201:(1932 ed.).
1158:(1931 ed.).
1097:. pp. 49–50.
1093:(1929 ed.).
1072:(1929 ed.).
1048:(1927 ed.).
961:(1924 ed.).
759:Beyond a Boundary
704:Lancashire League
700:Charles Llewellyn
448:, who played for
441:Beyond a Boundary
382:
381:
360:
359:
191:Career statistics
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1245:on 27 March 2012
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712:Manny Martindale
650:West Indian side
593:1928 West Indies
562:1925–26 MCC side
507:George Challenor
377:
197:
196:
89:
81:
70:
63:11 December 1897
62:
60:
33:
26:
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1076:. pp. 1–3.
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564:, which played
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446:Herman Griffith
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376:5 February 2010
375:
300:Bowling average
238:Batting average
129:
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78:12 January 1942
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1329:. 12 June 2000
1317:
1311:George Francis
1306:
1305:External links
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1300:
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1205:. p. 684.
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1162:. p. 683.
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1331:. Retrieved
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1315:ESPNcricinfo
1296:. p. 4.
1288:
1281:
1269:. Retrieved
1259:
1247:. Retrieved
1243:the original
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1357:1897 births
1137:27 December
1115:24 December
1027:23 December
1005:23 December
983:23 December
925:20 December
888:20 December
848:20 December
826:20 December
789:20 December
742:23 December
522:George John
432:Trinidadian
389:West Indian
226:Runs scored
209:First-class
200:Competition
125:West Indies
86:St. Michael
1351:Categories
722:References
659:Georgetown
617:Harlequins
534:Mr Gregory
530:Australian
105:Right-arm
88:, Barbados
69:, Barbados
59:1897-12-11
1333:10 August
1313: at
1271:3 January
1249:3 January
1223:3 January
1180:3 January
942:The Times
905:The Times
865:The Times
806:The Times
692:Radcliffe
679:Australia
674:cricket.
629:Joe Small
540:, during
532:bowlers,
526:The Times
494:The Times
479:The Times
471:Middlesex
467:Hampshire
462:The Times
400:St. James
392:cricketer
349:stumpings
261:Top score
177:1924–1930
149:Last Test
67:St. James
1326:BBC News
605:The Oval
566:Barbados
516:against
450:Barbados
404:Barbados
370:Source:
347:Catches/
250:100s/50s
181:Barbados
694:in the
609:England
434:writer
287:Wickets
215:Matches
154:England
143:England
102:Bowling
94:Batting
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1203:Wisden
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716:Wisden
708:Nelson
621:Oxford
486:Surrey
475:Lord's
457:Sussex
430:. The
275:bowled
438:, in
307:23.13
304:33.17
281:10880
273:Balls
245:12.85
169:Years
1335:2008
1273:2012
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1182:2012
1139:2011
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1007:2011
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763:ISBN
744:2011
623:and
536:and
356:42/–
342:7/50
339:4/40
278:1619
242:5.78
204:Test
172:Team
107:fast
75:Died
53:Born
570:MCC
544:".
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353:7/–
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256:0/1
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