By Marlon Joseph and Admin. Updated 8:49 a.m., Wednesday, July 30, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
One News SVG is a partner promoting the Emancipation Cricket Festival. The following is promotional content.
The Emancipation Cricket Festival presents, Gordon Greenidge, legendary opening batsman and double World Cup winner.
Greenidge will always be remembered alongside Desmond Haynes with whom he formed one of the best opening batting partnerships in cricket history. At the top of the order, he pummeled elite fast-bowling with powerful drives, hooks, cuts, and flicks that displayed his wide repertoire of strokes. The right-handed opener was as compact in defense as he was expansive in attack; as assured against pace as he was against spin.
Born in Barbados, he migrated to England to join his mother in 1965. He was 14 years old when he arrived in England and did not waste any time showcasing his talent as he quickly won the Reading Schools Cricket League with his new school, Alfred Sutton Secondary School. In 1968, Hampshire recruited 17-year-old Greenidge and enlisted him with their second eleven for further development and experience. It was not until 1970 at age 19 that he made his First-class debut for the Hampshire first team.
In his First-class debut season, he opened the batting with legendary South African batsman, Barry Richards. Paired with such a legend at an early stage of his career, Greenidge and inspired by him to aim for similar greatness. Throughout his First-class career, he scored 37,000 runs with 92 centuries which included a prolific 1984 season when he topped the batting averages in England with an average of 82.23 from 1,069 runs scored. Although living in England, he made his talent available to his native Barbados in First-class cricket where he grounded with his future, inextricable international batting partner, Desmond Haynes.
Greenidge’s exploits in England attracted the interest of England and the West Indies. He was eligible to represent both but his West Indian pride impelled his heart to the sunny side of cricket. In 1974, he made his Test debut for the West Indies against India in India. He instantly impressed with 93 in the first innings and 107 not out in the second. This debut performance revealed his excellent technique against spin bowling; a luxurious proficiency for an opening batsman.
His ODI debut followed in 1975 during the World Cup which was won by the West Indies. He announced his ODI promise in that tournament with 55 against New Zealand in a semi-final match. By the time of the second World Cup in 1979, Greenidge was a seasoned international batsman and demonstrated his class as the tournament’s leading run scorer with 253 runs at an average of 84. His powerful batting and consistency at the top of the order were among the keys to the West Indies’ successful defense of their world title in 1979.
In 1978 Greenidge and Haynes opened the innings together for the first time in Tests. This was the launch of an almost indestructible combined force that blunted bowling attacks and demoralized opposing teams. As a batting partnership, they amassed 6,482 runs, the third-highest amount in batting partnerships in Tests. In ODIs, their partnership yielded 5,150 runs at an average of 52.55. In 1977 Greenidge was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year and in 2009 he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. His individual batting averages of 44.72 and 45.03 in Tests and ODIs respectively, are eye-catching for an opening batsman in an era when fast-bowling was at its finest and most brutal. The Emancipation Cricket Festival honors perhaps, the premier opening batsman in the history of West Indies cricket.
SVG Emancipation Cricket Festival. Something legendary. Cricket meets culture. Freedom meets fire. A celebration 50 years in the making.
July 31-August 3, Arnos Vale Stadium, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The matches
The matches will begin on Thursday, July 31st, 2025 when Leeward Lions will face Kingstown Kings at 7:00 p.m.
Then, on Friday, August 1, Emancipation Day, Stubbs Masters will face SVG Hairouners at 3:30 p.m., and Grenadines Whalers will face Windward Warriors at 7:00 p.m.
On Saturday, August 2, there will be the third-place play-offs at 7:00 p.m., then on Sunday, August 3rd, Northern Girls will face Southern Girls at 3:30 p.m.
Then the finals which will be between Game 1 and Game 2 winners will take place at 7:00 p.m.
All matches will be held at the Arnos Vale Stadium.
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