BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Iconic former captain Sir Clive Lloyd has praised late West Indies batting great, Sir Everton Weekes, as “an absolutely wonderful human” who had been a “hero” to generations of cricketers.
In a touching tribute, Sir Clive said Sir Everton had also been a “pioneer” who had transcended the region to achieve global recognition.
“He was a great Barbadian and a great West Indian. Someone who was proud to fly the West Indies flag wherever he went,” said Sir Clive, credited with molding West Indies into the great side of the 1970s and 1980s.
“He was a pioneer and paved the way for persons like myself to come along. Apart from his greatness as a cricketer he was an absolutely wonderful human. He was very humorous …
“He was a very consistent batsman and stroked the ball with ease. He found the gaps in the field. You could see him build an innings as he batted. As a youngster you could see he was a great player the way he managed himself.”
Sir Everton passed away here Wednesday at age 95 following a long illness, bringing to an end a fine chapter of West Indies cricket that saw him feature as one of the now famous Three Ws alongside fellow Barbadians Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Clyde Walcott.
Sir Frank died in 1967 at age 42 while Sir Clyde died in 2006 at age 80.
At the time of his death, Sir Everton was the oldest West Indies cricketer and third oldest men’s Test player in the world, behind South African John Watkins and England’s Don Smith, both of whom are 97.
Sir Everton played 48 Tests between 1948 and 1958, scoring 4455 runs at an outstanding average of 58.61, along with 15 hundreds.
He is the only batsman to make centuries in five consecutive Test innings.
Sir Clive, who presided over World Cup triumphs in 1975 and 1979, said so far-reaching had been Sir Everton’s impact that he commanded respect everywhere.
“We kept in close contact and was someone I had the greatest respect for,” said the 75-year-old.
“He was one of those great men in West Indies cricket who taught us how to play cricket. The Three Ws showed fortitude and were very professional. They showed the world we could play the game. They were winners and were respected all over the world.
“People always speak with reverence about Sir Everton in India, in the Leagues in England and wherever he went. He was a hero to many of us. May he rest in peace.”
Sir Everton also served as an International Cricket Council match referee following his retirement, and was also a Barbados team manager, a development coach and a media analyst.
