ICC salutes West Indies greats

Four heroes of West Indies cricket were honoured by their board and the International Cricket Council (ICC) during the Super Eight match between the hosts and Bangladesh.

In a brief ceremony here Thursday, the Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Everton Weekes and representatives of the late Denis Atkinson and Clairmonte DePeiza were awarded commemorative plaques and other gifts in recognition of their world-record performances, an ICC statement said.

Fans cheered loudly as the names were read out and tributes paid by Tony Marshall, president of the Barbados Cricket Association. Kenneth Gordon, chairman of organising committee of the World Cup, made the presentations.

Sir Garry is the greatest all-rounder of all time with a career 8,032 runs and 235 wickets in 93 Tests, while Sir Everton is the only player to have scored five consecutive Test centuries.

DePeiza - a determined wicket keeper - and Atkinson, a brave all-rounder, shared an amazing stand of 347 for the seventh wicket against Australia to save the West Indies in 1955 at the Barbados ground. Atkinson made 219 and DePeiza 122.

Collecting the awards on behalf of their late fathers were Atkinson's daughter, Kathryn Ward, and DePeiza's son, Denis.

"Cricket has always been a part of my family and I am so proud to accept this award on behalf of my father," said Denis DePeiza, noting that some of his siblings flew in from England to be present.

"He's not here in person, but I know he's smiling somewhere in heaven."

Ward, who comes from a cricketing family (her uncles Eric Atkinson and John Goddard also played Test cricket), was equally moved by the proceedings.

"This is indeed a special occasion for my dad and the entire family," she said. "He gave his all when he played cricket and now it's wonderful to see that he is being honoured at the place where he broke the record."

A similar ceremony was held during the Super Eight series in Antigua and Barbuda in which former West Indies wicket keeper Ridley Jacobs was recognised for having the most dismissals in an innings. He recorded this achievement in the fourth Test of the 2000-01 series versus Australia in Melbourne with a total of seven dismissals.

Sir Vivian Richards and Brian Lara - who were unavailable for their respective presentations on the same day - will be acknowledged for their records as well.

Sir Viv holds the record for the highest batting average in CWC history with an impressive 63.31 as well as the fastest Test century, which he blasted off just 56 balls against England in 1986 in Antigua and Barbuda.

Lara, who plays his final match for the West Indies Saturday, has four records to his illustrious name - the most Test runs (11,953); the highest individual Test score (400 not out versus England in Antigua 2004); the highest individual first-class score (501 not out for Warwickshire versus Durham in 1994) and the most runs in an over of a Test match (28 runs off South African spinner Robin Peterson in the 2003-04 series).

Meanwhile, former West Indies opener Desmond Haynes, who was unavailable to attend the March 13 ceremony in Jamaica, Thursday received his recognition for being a member of the victorious West Indies squad that won the World Cup in 1979.

Haynes was also the Outstanding Caribbean Citizen for the day and presented the Man-of-the-Match award to West Indies vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan.

(IANS)

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