Clyde Butts is one of a number of off- spinners who has represented Guyana with distinction.
And while he did not reach the heights of the great Lance Gibbs, who once held the record for the most wickets in test cricket, or Carl Hooper and Roger Harper for that matter, Butts has created his own niche in the sport.
He has a modest test career, with only 10 wickets but his career at the regional first class level has been outstanding with some 348 wickets.
He was also a Chairman of the West Indies Cricket selectors.
Born July 8, 1957, Clyde Godfrey Butts, like Gibbs, played for the Demerara Cricket Club.
He played some 87 first class matches in 14 seasons during which time he played seven test matches with a best bowling figure of 4-73 against Pakistan.
For Guyana, Butts played 61 first-class often in tandem with Harper during which time he racked up many a five wicket haul on the various cricket pitches in the region.
From Kensington Oval to Hampton Court, Butts played at all those venues, distinguishing himself in the process.
All told Butts toiled his wares at 16 of the region’s first class venues in Sabina Park, Queen’s Park Oval, Guaracara Park, Grove Park, Antigua Recreation Ground, Windsor Park, Mindoo Philip Park, Arnos Vale Playing Field, St. George’s Grenada, Albion, GCC Bourda, Skeldon, Rose Hall, Blairmont Community Centre and Hampton Court.
He managed to take five wicket hauls (or 5-for as it is known today, in 14 of those venues with only Warner Park, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Hampton Court, Essequibo, eluding him.
`Buttsy’ as he is familiarly known, made his regional first-class debut against Trinidad & Tobago at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), Bourda in 1981.
Butts, who also made his test debut at home at GCC Bourda in 1985 against New Zealand, captured his first regional first-class, five-wicket haul against the Combined Islands in St. George’s, Grenada in February of 1981.
The wily off-spinner took 5 for 71 from 28 overs.
The next regional first class venue Butts snared a five wicket haul was Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica. Butts’ 5 for 81 from 41.5 overs condemned the Windward Islands to 258 all out in their first innings in 1983.
Grove Park in Charlestown, Nevis was where Butts took his next five for, 5 for 23 from 12.5 overs in the Leeward Islands’ first innings of 91 all out in January of 1983.
Playing against Jamaica at the GCC Bourda, in March of 1983, Butts took 5 for 54 from 18.1 overs.
Then, against the Windward Islands in February of 1984 at the GCC, Bourda, Butts took 6 for 79 from 41.5 overs.
It was on to the Albion Community Development Centre ground where, playing against the Leeward Islands in February of 1984, Butts took 5 for 78 from 33 overs in their first innings.
The `Mecca’ in Barbados was the next venue and at the Kensington Oval in February of 1985, Butts captured 7 for 107 from 55.4 overs in Barbados’ first innings.
He then travelled to the Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John’s, where he took 5 for 113 from 41 overs in the Leeward Islands first innings of 293 all out.
In their second innings of 132 for 9 he took 5 for 40 from 17.1 overs for a 10 wicket match haul.
At Guaracara Park, against Trinidad & Tobago Park in January of 1986 Butts took 5 for 43 from 20 overs in Trinidad & Tobago’s first innings of 180 all out.
Back home at the Rose Hall cricket ground, Canje, Berbice against the Windward Islands, in January of 1986 Butts took 6 for 57 from 33.3 overs and against the Leeward Islands at GCC Bourda in February of the same year, Butts took 5 for 98 from 39 overs.
Playing against Trinidad & Tobago at Queen’s Park Oval in April of 1987 Butts took 5 for 67 from 27 overs in Trinidad & Tobago’s second innings of 254 all out and, against Barbados at Bourda in April of 1987 he took 5 for 86 from 56 overs in Barbados only innings of 278 all out. Playing against the Windward Islands at Arnos Vale Playing Field, St. Vincent in January of 1990, Butts took 5 for 73 from 39 overs in the Windward Islands second innings of 336 all out.
Playing against Jamaica at Sabina Park in January of 1991, Butts took 5 for 81 from 39 overs in Jamaica’s first innings of 242 all out.
Against the Windward Islands at GCC, Bourda in February of 1991, Butts took 6 for 61 from 34 overs while against the Windward Islands at Mindoo Phillip Park, Castries, St. Lucia in February of 1992, Butts took his career-best 7 for 29 from 19 overs in the Windward Islands first innings of 106 all out.
Against the Windward Islands at Skeldon Community Ground Berbice in February of 1993, Butts took 6 for 31 from 21.2 overs in the Windwards second innings of 117 all out.
Against Trinidad & Tobago at Blairmont Community Ground Berbice in February of 1993 Butts took 7 for 40 from 16.4 overs in Trinidad & Tobago’s second innings of 85 all out.
He came very close to a five-for at Warner Park, St Kitts/ Nevis where his best bowling figure in a regional first class match is 4 for 106 from 45 overs in Leewards second inning at 375 all out February 1993.
Clyde Butts, `Mr. 5-For’ take a bow.
