CBSE Class 9 Answered

The British played the game of cricket in their colonies. The British officials, however, did not encourage the natives of the countries, they rule, to play cricket. In West indies, the natives were discouraged from participating in organised cricket club tournaments. This was because playing cricket was a sign of symbolising social and racial superiority.

However, cricket did develop among the natives. The first non-white cricket club in West Indies was formed at the end of the nineteenth century, though its members were Afro Europeans. The blacks mostly played the game in parks and on beaches. The game became tremendously popular in 1930s among the natives of West Indies. At the time of the independence of West Indies, many political leaders considered the playing cricket as a sign of self-respect. The victory of West Indies in the test series against England in 1950 was celebrated as national achievement. The victory was considered as a feat by the West Indies bringing them on an equal footing with England.