 Hammond 's performances earned him selection for the M.C.C. winter tour of the West Indies in the 1925 – 26 season . At that time , such tours were popular with amateur cricketers , who were often chosen for social rather than cricketing reasons . The touring party contained only eight professionals , who were expected to do most of the bowling and provide the cricketing quality . The West Indies team did not have Test status , so no official internationals were scheduled , but a series of representative matches against a West Indian team were played . Rain disrupted much of the cricket , but Hammond enjoyed the experience . In first @-@ class matches , he scored 732 runs at an average of 48 @.@ 80 , with two hundreds and two fifties , and took 20 wickets at an average of 28 @.@ 65 . He scored 238 not out in the first representative game against a West Indies side . Following the tour , he won praise from Warner and the captain of the M.C.C. team , Freddie Calthorpe , and was believed to be close to the full England side . 
