In one respect Andy Ganteaume, a diminutive wicketkeeper-batsman, eclipsed even Don Bradman. Whereas Bradman ended his career with a Test average of 99.94, Gunteaume's was 112. On his Test debut, against England at Port-of-Spain in 1947-48, he scored 112 and yet he never played for West Indies again. West Indies had a formidable batting line-up around this time - it was the era of Walcott, Worrell, Weekes, Sobers, Kanhai, Rae, Stollmeyer and Gomez - and there were suggestions that he slowed down when nearing his hundred, possibly costing West Indies the chance of victory. Jeff Stollmeyer later wrote: "Andy's innings in its later stages was not in keeping with the state of the game and his captain [Gerry Gomez] was forced to send a message out to him to 'get on with it'." Stollmeyer did concede that Ganteaume was unlucky to miss out on selection for the tour of India the following year. Ganteaume continued to play for Trinidad, and in fact toured England as late as 1957 without getting into the Test side.
Steven Lynch