Legendary batsman Everton Weekes, the final of the famed West Indies ‘Three Ws’, died on Wednesday on the age of 95 and was hailed as “a founding father” of the game within the Caribbean. “Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the lack of an icon. A legend, our hero, Sir Everton Weekes,” tweeted Cricket West Indies. “Our condolences exit to his household, buddies and plenty of followers world wide. Might he relaxation in peace.” Barbadian Weekes was a part of a feared post-World Struggle II West Indies staff which additionally featured Clyde Walcott and Frank Worrell. Walcott died in 2006 whereas Worrell handed away in 1967. All three had been born inside a mile and a half of one another over an 18-month interval.
Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the lack of an icon. A legend, our hero, Sir Everton Weekes. Our condolences exit to his household, buddies and plenty of followers world wide. Might he relaxation in peace. pic.twitter.com/RnwoJkhjPd
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) July 1, 2020
At present, the nationwide stadium in Bridgetown is called the Three Ws Oval.
Weekes performed 48 Exams between 1948 and 1958, scoring Four,455 runs at a median of 58.61. His highest Check rating was 207.
“A most wonderful pioneer in West Indies cricket,” mentioned CWI president Ricky Skerritt.
“An incredible gentleman and an exquisite human being. He was actually a founding father of our cricket. Might he relaxation in peace.”
Skerritt hailed Weekes’ “wonderful legacy as each an incredible cricketer and an incredible human being. He was the final of the well-known three Ws to cross to the good past.
“I had a private relationship with Sir Everton, I had the chance final yr to go to go to him at his house in Barbados when he had come out of hospital after he had had a really severe sickness.
“We had an opportunity to talk about his profession. He was a most wonderful man and simply one of the vital humble and first rate and fantastic individuals you may ever meet.”
Weekes, who suffered a coronary heart assault in 2019, made 15 centuries together with 5 in a rare sequence that is still a document as we speak.
Former West Indies captain Jeffrey Stollmeyer described Weekes as “a 5 foot six inch bundle of muscle”.
Weekes made his mark within the fourth Check in opposition to England in Jamaica in 1948 the place he crashed an assault that included Gubby Allen, Maurice Tremlett and Jim Laker for 141, resulting in a 10-wicket win.
When the West Indies went on to tour India later within the yr, he produced successive innings of 128 in Delhi, 194 in Bombay and 162 and 101 in Calcutta.
He should have had a sixth consecutive hundred however was run out for 90 in Madras, a choice that Walcott described as “reasonably uncertain”.
‘Actually nice human being’
In 1950 he performed a key supporting position to spinners Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine in West Indies’ Three-1 sequence win in England.
He made three half-centuries after which 129 at Trent Bridge.
Weekes returned to England in 1957 which produced one actually memorable innings.
It got here within the second innings at Lord’s with the West Indies, nonetheless trailing England by 217, on 80-Four and going through a heavy defeat.
The England assault of Fred Trueman, Brian Statham and Trevor Bailey exploited the ridge on the Nursery Finish to make the ball rear spitefully.
Weekes joined Garry Sobers and set about including 100 in 95 minutes.
Weekes took a blow to the hand which cracked a finger however in a three-hour keep on the crease, continued to carve the bowlers round Lord’s, hitting 16 boundaries earlier than being dismissed for 90.
It was that spirit and classy devastation which followers remembered on Wednesday.
West Indies Gamers’ Affiliation tweeted: “We salute an incredible West Indies icon; Sir Everton made a useful contribution to the game, his nation and the area.
“We have been blessed to have him amongst us, might his soul relaxation in peace.”
“Everybody at MCC and Lord’s are saddened on the information of Sir Everton Weekes’ passing,” mentioned the MCC.
“He’ll without end be remembered as one among West Indies cricket’s most interesting cricketers.”
Promoted
Retired West Indies quick bowler Ian Bishop added: “I had the good privilege of spending time within the firm of Sir Everton on a number of events over the previous twenty years.
“By no means as soon as did I depart his presence with out feeling a way of heat, cheerfulness & having learnt one thing wealthy & endearing every time. A very nice human being.”
Subjects talked about on this article
Source link
