They Gave the Crowd Plenty Fun

In 1948, the West Indies cricket team beat England at Lord's for the first time. For some, West Indian victories provided a source of self-esteem. Whether they were passionate cricket fans or not, cricket offered some of the growing diaspora an opportunity to express a collective sense of identity. Colin Babb reflects on events which influenced the development of the social impact of cricket on British Caribbean communities from the arrival of the Empire Windrush onwards. He also explores factors which have challenged cricket's position as a social force for the diaspora today.