TheCommonwealth XI cricket team played over 100first-class cricket matches from 1949 to 1968. The team started out as a side made up of mostly English, Australian and West Indian cricketers, that toured the subcontinent but later on played first-class fixtures in England. They also toured South Africa and Rhodesia.
The Commonwealth team, captained byJock Livingston, played 17 first-class matches in India and two each in Ceylon and Pakistan.
Les Ames, another Englishman, led the team on this occasion and they appeared in 25 first-class matches in India as well as two in Ceylon.
AustralianBen Barnett captained the Commonwealth XI on this tour of India which consisted of 22 first-class matches.
Captained byPeter Richardson, a Commonwealth XI toured Pakistan in November and December 1963, playing six first-class matches including three against thePakistan national team. The three unofficial Tests were all drawn.[1][2]
Peter Richardson's Commonwealth team played just one first-class match in India, against the Bengal Chief Minister's XI.
A Commonwealth side toured Pakistan under the captaincy ofRichie Benaud.Roger Prideaux andTony Lewis captained the team in some matches.
In October 1959, the Commonwealth XI played three first-class matches in South Africa[3] and in a tour of Rhodesia in September, 1962, they played a further two.[4]
All other matches played by the Commonwealth team were in England and mostly against a side called the England XI. The only exceptions were matches against the touring Indians in 1952[5] andEssex in 1953.[6]