A Bermuda resident claims the West Indies batting debacle in the first Test against Australia in Trinidad, when they were bowled out for 51 in their second innings, is not their lowest score in international cricket.

Statisticians worldwide reached for their Wisdens to confirm it was their worst performance in Test matches as Australia won by 312 runs.

But Bill Cook, of Paget, has contacted The Royal Gazette recalling an even more embarrassing episode for Caribbean cricket almost 30 years ago.

In July, 1969, the West Indies were humbled in a two-innings game against Ireland at Sion Mills, a village in County Tyrone, being bowled out in their first innings for just 25.

Cook remembered: "Thirty years ago in Belfast I was watching TV while having lunch with a group of sports people while the West Indies were playing Ireland.

"Ireland dismissed the West Indies for 25 runs to win the one-day competition.

"I believe this was the lowest score ever by the West Indies with a full Test side.'' Things could have been worse as the tourists stumbled to 12 for nine before a last wicket stand from Shillingford, who top scored with nine, and Blair added another 13.

While the record books bear out Cook's reminisces, there were some redeeming features that day for the West Indies players.

The team had travelled overnight from a tense drawn second Test at Lord's which left England 36 runs short of victory with three wickets in hand.

Tour captain Gary Sobers was missing from the line-up in Sion Mills, while opening batsman Roy Fredericks, number three Charles Davis, and bowlers Vanburn Holder and Lance Gibbs were also rested.

But the team, captained by Basil Butcher in his final series, could still boast players of the calibre of Clive Lloyd, who would later inspire the West Indian climb to the top of world cricket, Michael Carew, who averaged over 34 in his 19 Tests and John Shepherd, the Kent and Gloucestershire medium pacer who took 11 wickets in the three Test series in England.

Fredericks' opening partner George Camacho, who managed just a single in each innings against Ireland, had days earlier plundered an England attack including John Snow, Ray Illingworth and Basil D'Oliveira for 67 and 45 at Lord's.

For the record, Ireland replied to the tourists' first innings by declaring at 125-8. The West Indies were 78-4 in their second innings.

But the regulations for the game stated that with two innnings a side being scheduled for one day, the winner would be the highest scorer on first innings if the match was not completed.

IRELAND v WEST INDIES West Indies first innings G.Camacho c Dineen b Goodwin 1 M.Carew c Hughes b O'Riordan 0 M.Foster run out 2 B.Butcher c Duffy b O'Riordan 2 C.Lloyd c Waters b Goodwin 1 C.Walcott c And'son b O'Riordan 6 J.Shepherd c Duffy b Goodwin 0 T.Findlay c Waters b Goodwin 0 P.Roberts c Colhoun b O'Riordan 0 G.Shillingford not out 9 P.Blair b Goodwin 3 Extras (byes 1) 1 Total (all out, 25.5 overs) 25 Fall of wickets: 1-2 2-1 3-3 4-6 5-6 6-8 7-12 8-12 9-12 Bowling: O'Riordan 13-8-18-4; Goodwin 12.5-8-6-5