October marks Black History Month, where Worcestershire County Cricket Club will be proudly recognising some of the great names to have represented the county in its grand 160-year history.
A whole host of prestigious names have represented the Pears during that time, with some famous faces helping shape the club’s path through the years, who will be celebrated over the course of October.
Christopher Henry Gayle
Born: Kingston, Jamaica, 21 September, 1979
The hard-hitting West Indian, Chris Gayle, became Worcestershire’s fourth overseas signing of 2005 behind: Chaminda Vaas, Shoaib Akhtar and Zander de Bruyn.
His debut came in the game against Lancashire at Blackpool in late August scoring 43 before becoming one of Dominic Cork’s four victims.
In all, he played just three first-class games scoring 192 runs at an average of 32.00 with a top score of 57 in the second innings against Leicestershire having made 51 in the first innings.
Gayle had a reasonable return in the One Day, Totesport League, (played over 45 overs) scoring 176 runs at an average of 44.00 with a best of 53 not out against Gloucestershire at New Road.
Kemar Andre Jamal Roach
Born: Checker Hall, St Lucy, Barbados, 30 June, 1988
Quick bowler Kemar Roach was another late season signing for four Championship games in August 2011. Damian Wright, Shakib Al Hasan and Saeed Ajmal had filled the overseas player role until that point.
Across four Championship games for Worcestershire, Roach took 14 wickets at 39.28 each.
His best contribution came in the game against Lancashire at New Road where he followed up a first innings 3-69 with 3-44 in the second innings.
Scheduled for four days, the match concluded (with a 10 wicket win for Worcestershire) during the afternoon session on day two, when Lancashire were dismissed for just 80 from 30.1 overs thanks to 6-22 from his new ball partner, Alan Richardson.
Roach was a member of the Surrey side which won the County Championship in 2022, 2023 and 2024 where he took a total of 97 first-class wickets.
Shannon Terry Gabriel
Born: Trinidad, 28 April, 1988
Shannon Gabriel played two games for Worcestershire in 2015, firstly, claiming two wickets at a bitterly cold Chester-Le-street and then secondly, at New Road against Middlesex.
A strong, bustling quick bowler, he took 5-31 from nine overs as the home side wrapped up victory by an innings and 128 runs.
Gabriel was the third overseas player used in 2015, following Sri Lankan spinner Sachithra Senanayake and Pakistan Test star Saeed Ajmal, who returned for a second stint at New Road.
A graduate from the West Indies High Performance Centre, Gabriel became an ever present in the West Indies Test team, playing 59 matches, taking 166 wickets with a best of 8-62 against Sri Lanka in 2018.
Miguel Lamar Cummins
Born: St Michael, Barbados, 5 September, 1990
Following the departure of overseas players Matt Henry and Kyle Abbott, Miguel Cummins was engaged for the last three Championship games of 2016.
Worcestershire suffered an innings defeat to Essex in Cummins’ debut game where he went wicket-less at a cost of 114 runs. The tide turned, when in the next game against Sussex at Hove he took 7-84 and 5-82 as Worcestershire recoded an 11 run victory in a pulsating game. With some outstanding pace bowling, Cummins took centre stage.
At the start of day there, requiring 259 more runs for victory – and with nine wickets in hand – Cummins claimed the final two Sussex wickets, dismissing Danny Briggs and then yorking Steve Magoffin with his first ball to conclude a game which had ebbed and flowed all day.
In all, Cummins played 14 Test matches, taking 27 wickets with a best of 6-48 against India in 2018. He had two further spells in County Cricket with Middlesex and Kent.
Alzarri Shaheim Joseph
Born: Antigua, 20 November 1996
Alzarri Joseph joined the Pears for the early season Championship matches in 2021. Having played in three separate series for the West Indies during the winter of 2020-21, his Worcestershire debut came in the second match against Derbyshire, returning figures of 2-108 and 1-35.
It was during his home debut against Nottinghamshire that he shone with the bat, however, scoring 61, he put on 114 for the eight wicket with Joe Leach (84) as the game ended in a high scoring draw. In all, he claimed 15 wickets at 38.26 with best figures of 2-22 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Jason Omar Holder
Born: Rouens Village, St George, Barbados, 5 November, 1991
Former West Indies captain, Jason Holder, joined Worcestershire for the opening five matches of 2024, having previously played Championship cricket for Northamptonshire in 2019.
Named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in 2021, Holder is a Test cricketer of great pedigree. He has scored over 3,000 runs, (with a highest score of 202 not out) and taken 162 wickets (which includes a 10 wicket match haul).
He is the first West Indian player to take a hat-trick in international T-20 cricket, while he became only the fifth West Indian player to score 2,000 runs and take 100 wickets in one day internationals.
It was a slow start to the 2024 Championship campaign, claiming just one wicket in the opening two fixtures, however, Holder began to find better form with returns of 3-47 against Durham and 3-72 against Somerset.
During his final appearance at Canterbury, he shone with the bat stroking a magnificent, stylish hundred (123 not out) which included seven 4s and six 6s. Batting with Matthew Waite (100 not-out) they shared an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 225 which set a new Club record.
