Bertie Harragin

Who was Bertie Harragin?

Alfred Ernest Albert Harragin was a West Indian cricketer who toured England in 1906 and was a member of the Trinidad team from 1896-97 when aged 19 to 1931-32 when he was 54. He was a hard hitting right-handed batsman.

He was educated at Queen's Royal College in Trinidad where he excelled as an athlete. Later on he was to hold a number of Trinidadian and West Indian records for various Athletic events. He was also a record holder for throwing the cricket ball.

Apart from cricket he had other sporting interests including football, rowing, horse racing and cycling. He was a Deputy Inspector General in the Police Service.

He made his debut for Trinidad against Lord Hawke's team and also played against Arthur Priestley's team. In 1901-02 he was selected for the combined West Indies team against RA Bennett's XI and again against Lord Brackley's XI in 1904-05.

He was a selector for, and member of, the second West Indies touring side that toured England in 1906. He was second in the West Indies batting averages, although he played only 11 of the 19 matches. He got a leg injury in the match against Kent and missed 7 matches, 6 of them first class. Before the 1906 tour he was described as a "good bat and field" and "a player who can punish all types of bowling. He captained the Trinidad team this season and had fared particularly well in the inter-colonial matches. A brilliant man in the country, fast and a sure thrower". His top scores in the first class matches were 50, 51, 57 and 51 while he scored 86, 68 and 63 in minor matches. During this tour he made attempts to beat his West Indies record for throwing the cricket ball of 128 yards 4 inches.