In part one, the first five West Indies ‘twin centurions’—George Headley [twice], Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott [twice], Garfield Sobers, and Rohan Kanhai—were recognized. In part II, the next five West Indian ‘twin centurions’ are acknowledged.
In 1972, Jamaican Lawrence Rowe made history when he became the first test debutant to score both a double and a single century. In the first test against New Zealand at Sabina Park, Jamaica, Rowe scored 214 runs as the West Indies amassed 508 for 4 wickets declared. Rowe and Roy Fredericks shared a 2nd wicket partnership of 269 runs, with Fredericks scoring 163. New Zealand conceded a first-innings lead of 122 runs after being dismissed for 386. Opener Glen Turner batted through the innings with an unbeaten 223. Rowe led the batting in the second innings with an unbeaten 100 as the West Indies declared at 3 for 218, setting New Zealand a target of 314 runs for victory. Mark Burgess’s 101 prevented the West Indies from winning, and the match ended in a draw with New Zealand at 6 for 236.
In the third test match in Manchester during the West Indies’ 1976 tour of England, Gordon Greenidge played a crucial role in the West Indies’ victory by 425 runs. Greenidge scored 65.5% of the West Indies’ first innings total of 211, making 134. Michael Holding took 5 wickets for 17, Andy Roberts 3 for 22, and Wayne Daniel 2 for 13, giving the West Indies a first innings lead of 140 runs as England were dismissed for a paltry 71. In reply, Vivian Richards scored 135, and Greenidge 101 as the West Indies declared their second innings on 5 wickets for 411. Set a target of 522 to win, England capitulated once again to the pace of Roberts, who took 6 wickets for 37 runs, with Michael Holding claiming 2 for 24 and Wayne Daniel 2 for 39.
During a disastrous tour of Sri Lanka in 2001, Brian Lara was the only bright spot as the West Indies lost 3-0. In the third match in Colombo, Lara became the eighth West Indian ‘twin centurion.’ Batting first, the West Indies scored 390 all out, with Lara top scoring with 221. Ramnaresh Sarwan contributed 69, and captain Carl Hooper scored 56. Sri Lanka responded with 9 for 627 declared, with Hashan Tillakaratne unbeaten on 204. In their second innings, Lara scored 130 and Sarwan 66 as they crumbled from 3 for 203 to 262 all out. Sri Lanka coasted to victory and a series ‘whitewash’ by 10 wickets.
Kieran Powell became the ninth West Indian twin centurion in the first Test in Mirpur, Bangladesh, in 2012. Along with Shivanarine Chanderpaul’s 203 not out, Denesh Ramdin’s 126 not out, and Powell’s 117, the West Indies declared their first innings at 4 wickets for 527. Bangladesh responded strongly, scoring 556 with a 29-run lead. The West Indies made 273 in their second innings, with Powell top-scoring with 110. Chasing 245 for victory, Bangladesh fell to the pace of Tino Best, who took 5 for 24, and the left-arm spin of Verasammy Permaul, who took 3 for 32, as the West Indies won by 77 runs.
The tenth West Indian ‘twin centurion’ is Barbadian Shai Hope, who led the West Indies to victory in the 2nd Test against England at Leeds in 2017. After dismissing England for 258 in their first innings, with Kemar Roach taking 4 for 71 and Shannon Gabriel 4 for 51, the West Indies responded with 427, leading by 169 runs. Hope scored a top score of 147, and Kraigg Brathwaite contributed 134. England responded strongly in their second innings, declaring at 8 wickets for 490, setting the West Indies a target of 322 to win. Hope, 118 not out and supported by Brathwaite’s 95, guided the West Indies to a memorable 5-wicket victory.
