Michael Collins' New Book Wins Warm Reviews

In Windrush Cricket: Imperial Culture, Caribbean Migration, and the Remaking of Postwar England, historian Michael Collins explores the rise of Caribbean cricket clubs formed across England from the 1950s onwards. The book grows out of his Windrush Cricket Project and the Caribbean Cricket Archive, initiatives dedicated to preserving the stories of clubs founded by members of the Windrush generation and their descendants.

Collins documents how, by the 1970s and 1980s, dozens of Caribbean teams were operating across the country, often outside formal league structures. Clubs such as the New Calypsonians and Carib United provided more than competitive cricket: they functioned as vital social networks, offering solidarity and opportunity at a time when many Black players faced exclusion from mainstream clubs.

The book argues that these clubs not only sustained community life but also contributed significantly to English cricket’s talent pipeline, nurturing players who would go on to compete at the highest levels of the game.

Critical Reaction

The Guardian highlights Collins’ recovery of what it describes as a “hidden history” of English cricket. The article emphasises how Caribbean clubs became cultural anchors for migrants navigating post-war Britain, while also enriching the domestic game. It notes the breadth of Collins’ research, including his documentation of more than a hundred clubs, and praises the way the book situates cricket within broader themes of race, migration and belonging.

In the The Times Literary Supplement, David Kynaston offers an appreciative assessment, describing the study as an important and timely contribution to both sports history and modern British history. The TLS review commends Collins’ ability to weave together archival research with oral histories, arguing that the book challenges traditional accounts of English cricket by foregrounding the experiences of Caribbean communities.

Together, the reviews suggest that Windrush Cricket is being recognised not only as a work of sporting history but also as a significant intervention in discussions about post-war Britain, empire and identity.