Cricket: Guillen had inside knowledge on old teammates

Sammy Guillen

During this week's test we talk to surviving members of the NZ team about their historic victory over the West Indies 50 years ago - their first in test cricket

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The last act of Sammy Guillen's exotic test career was to stump former teammate Alf Valentine at Eden Park to complete New Zealand's historic maiden test win.

Now 81 and living in Christchurch, Guillen played five tests for the West Indies, including two against New Zealand in 1951-52, before deciding to emigrate soon after. He played with some of the great West Indians, including the three Ws, and spin twins Sonny Ramadin and Valentine.

Just under four years later he was selected to play for New Zealand against the touring 1956 West Indians, and is now one of just 14 players to have represented more than one test-playing nation.

Guillen said this week his favourite memory of the match was when the recalled Harry Cave beat the outside edge of Valentine's blade, presenting a stumping opportunity that he'd been waiting on for the best part of an hour.

"I knew half way through the second innings that we should win," said Guillen. "But it was bit frightening because of the heavy clouds overhead.

"When they were down to their last wicket, I spoke to Don Beard and told him that Valentine moved out of his crease every time he played forward.

"All he had to do was beat him outside the off-stump. But he couldn't and we went to tea with the clouds still hanging over the ground, and a lot of tension in the air.

"On the way back out I spoke with Harry Cave and told him the same thing - all he had to do was go past the No 10's outside edge. It happened in the third or fourth ball of the over; game set and match.

"Then the celebrations started."

Guillen, who retired at the end of the match, had some interesting thoughts on the New Zealanders' morale leading up to the victorious test, and also revealed the close sense of camaraderie that existed between both teams.

"It wasn't all doom and gloom in the build-up, despite us being beaten in the previous three tests," he said.

"We were trying all the time and had some faith in the ranks. We didn't have our heads down.

"The main problem during the first three tests - and particularly the previous one in Wellington - was that a lot of catches were dropped, and because of that, tactical opportunities were squandered.

"But it was all very good. I enjoyed it. I was out to fix them up, all right. And they were out to fix me up as well. It was all in good fun."

The other memorable moment in Guillen's career arrived three tests earlier when he walked out to bat against his former teammates at Lancaster Park.

"They all formed a ring, took their caps off and gave me three cheers - I could have been out right there and then, I felt so emotional."