Elias Constantine

Who is Elias Constantine?

Elias Constantine was a Trinidadian cricketer who played first-class cricket for Trinidad between 1932 and 1949. He was the younger brother of Learie Constantine, who represented West Indies in Test matches; his father Lebrun and uncle Victor Pascall also played representative cricket for West Indies and Trinidad.

Constantine's father, Lebrun, was the grandchild of slaves, who rose to the position of overseer on a cocoa estate in Cascade, near Maraval, where the family lived when Elias was born. Lebrun was famous on the island as a cricketer who represented Trinidad in first-class cricket and toured England twice with a West Indian team. Constantine's mother, Anaise Pascall, was the daughter of slaves;. Constantine grew up with his family in Cascade on the estates for which his father was overseer. The family were generally happy and frequently practised cricket together under the supervision of Lebrun and Victor Pascall.

By 1932, Constantine had followed his relations into the Trinidad cricket team. He made his first-class debut against Barbados on 16 January in the Inter-Colonial Tournament, and scored 30 in his only innings. He later bowled 11 wicketless overs in a comfortable Trinidad win. According to his obituary in Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, "he was so quick in the field that his team-mates reputedly congratulated him when he dropped a catch on his Trinidad debut, because no one else could have got close." In the following game, the final of the tournament, Constantine scored 92 not out and took his first two wickets in first-class cricket as Trinidad won the competition.