Sir Conrad Hunte

Sir Conrad Hunte was born in Shorey Village on the east coast of Barbados. He was the eldest of nine children, he grew up playing cricket in the village and at the Alleyne school where he was educated. Hunte first came to national focus in 1950-51 in the annual Barbados Cricket Association versus the Barbados Cricket League match. He scored a century and was selected to the Barbados national team at the age of eighteen against Trinidad he scored 63 on debut. However  his next big break came in 1955-56 when Barbados played against E. W. Swanton's X1,  he made 151 and 95.

Conrad Hunte expected to make his debut on the 1957 tour of England and even move to England in preparation, but he was surprisingly not included in the team; there were claims that a letter inviting him had not reached him. However during the Pakistan tour of the Caribbean in 1958 Conrad Hunte was given his chance and emerge as an opening bat of high calibre.

In his first match of the 1958 series Hunte open his Test match account with a fine 142. He then followed this innings in the third Test with a magnificant 260 to partner Garry Sobers in a record braking partnership of 446, Sobers made 365 not out a World record then. Hunte also scored 109 not out in the fourth Test to complete his third ton for the series.  He finished his debut series with 622 runs at an average of 77.75, and the West Indies won the series 3-1.

On the 1960-61 tour of Australia Conrad Hunte was invited by Australian journalist James Coulter to see the film The Crowning Experience, this film was based on the life of the black American educator, Mary McLeod Bethune. This film was promoted by Moral Re-Armament (MRA), a Christian organisation promoting absolute moral and ethical standards of behaviour, to which Hunte committed the remainder of his life.

On the 1963 tour of England Conrad Hunte was made vice captain to Frank Worrell, it was on this tour that Hunte now a devout member of Moral Re-Armament (MRA), decided to curb his natural attacking instints and became the sheet-anchor for the sake of the team. His decision paid huge dividends for himself and the team. He began the series at Old Trafford with a match-winning innings, 182, and finished it at The Oval with another ton, 108 not out.  

The West Indies won the 1963 series in England 3-1. Hunte finished the series with a batting average of 58.87, and was chosen as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1964. After the retirement of Frank Worrell in 1963, at the end of the English tour Conrad Hunte expected to be made captain; however he was overlooked as the captaincy was given to Garry Sobers. Hunte was truely disapointed and for a while considered resigning but in the end decided to continue playing and giving of his best.

This he did and in the home series against Australia  in 1964-65 he scored 550 runs, without a century, he scored six fifties in ten innings, with a highest score of 89 and an average of 61.11. Conrad Hunte played in 44 Tests between 1958 and 1967. He scored 3245 runs with eight centuries at an average of 45.06. He scored eight centuries, the last in Bombay on the tour of 1966-67 his centuries were scored on four continents which provides proof of his quality as an opening batsman.

After retiring from cricket, Hunte worked for better race relations through an MRA inter-racial group, and travelled the world before settling in Atlanta, where his wife Patricia was a TV newsreader. In 1991, as South Africa inched towards change, he called Ali Bacher and ask to help the reconciliation process. He was accepted by the United cricket board of South Africa, he stayed for seven years, with the title National Development Coach. The emphasis was on motivating and inspiring young people in the townships. 

In 1998 Conrad Hunte services to cricket were recognised when he was awarded Barbados' highest honour, the Order of St Andrew, by the government of Barbados. He was encouraged to return to Barbados to apply his experience and expertise in helping to revive interest and standards of the nations youth. He was attached to the Ministry of Education and Youth Affairs and became immersed in his task. 

Shortly after returing to Barbados Sir Conrad Hunte won a heated election to became President of the Barbados Cricket Association, with a mandate to revive it. He never got the chance because two months later on December 3rd 1999 Sir Conrad Hunte died of a heart attack in Sydney Australia, while playing a game of tennis with his good friend James Coulter.  He was in Australia to make the keynote speech at  a meeting of the Moral Re-Armament (MRA) conference.

Conrad Hunte Test Cricket Statistics

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	Tied Test 1960/61, The first ever Tied Test match between Australia and the West Indies in 1960/61. Wes Hall bowled the Last over in the Tied Test.
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	NTSC -  DVD		£24.99
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	Cricket Legends These players are the 50 greatest cricketers of the century, as voted by a blue-ribbon panel of judges assembled by ESPN. The panelists were asked to list in order, their top 50 players. Cricketing legends from Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and the West Indies all made it to the final 50. Among them are some famous West Indies fast bowlers, great Aussie legends, and modern heros of the game. Disc 5 features the great George Headley.
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	NTSC -  DVD		£124.99
	Visit the Cricket Legends Web Site

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	A Nation Imagine, The publication of A Nation Imagined falls squarely within the West Indies Cricket Board’s celebrations of 75 years of West Indies’ entry into Test cricket. Produced under the theme “75 Years of Windies Test Cricket: Uniting the Region, Exciting the World”, this commemorative book is a treasure trove of facts and anecdotes and a must have for every cricket lover.
	Format		Cost
	Paper Back Book		£24.95
	Visit the A Nation Imagine web site

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	Caught In Action 20 Years of West Indies Cricket Photography by Gordon Brooks  beautifully features  the very best of his work, most of which has never been published before. Watch the story of West Indies cricket unfold before your eyes as you enjoy studying these wonderful cricket photos. Every cricket fan will want a copy of this book.
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	Hard Cover Book	152	£21.95
	Visit the Caught In Action 20 Years Of West Indies Cricket Photography web site

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	Wisden Caribbean Cricket, delivers an interesting account of 75 years of West Indies Cricket history. This book will be an excellent resource to students, educators and cricket enthusiasts the world over. With the foreword by Sir Vivian Richards, Wisden's Caribbean Cricket offers a heartwarming walk down memory lane.
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	Hard Cover book	144	£19.95
	Visit the Wisden Caribbean Cricket web site

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	The Glory Days 25 Great West Indian Cricketers, The Glory Days - 25 Great West Indian Cricketers, celebrates the legends  of west Indies cricket. Batsmen like Headley, Walcott, Weekes, Worrell, Sobers, Richards and Lara; and bowlers like Hall, Gibbs, Roberts, Holding, Marshall, Ambrose and Walsh. This colourful book provides profiles, career hightlights and statistics accompanied by loads of superb photos, of 25 great West Indian cricket legends. It is a must have book for every cricket fan.
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	Hard Cover book	136	£19.95
	Visit the Glory Days 25 great West Indian Cricketers web site

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	A History Of West Indies Cricket, by Michael Manley, offer the complete story of West Indies Cricket. It runs from the early 1900's through the 1990's
	Format	Pages	Cost
	Paper Back book	776	£19.95
	Visit A History Of West Indies Cricket web site

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	West Indies One Day Cap, We are pleased to introduce the official 2006 West Indies cricket One Day International Cap
	Merchandise	Size	Cost
	Replica Cap	One Size	£12.99
	Visit the West Indies One Day Cricket Cap web site

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	West Indies One Day International Replica Shirt, The New official West Indies One-Day shirt as currently worn by the current West Indies squad. Celebrate the West Indies One Day cricket resurgence with this replica shirt.
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	Replica Shirt		£19.99
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