BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Legendary former West Indies batsman Sir Everton Weekes has died.
“Weekes” Sir Everton, who was up to the time of his death on July 1 the only surviving member of the storied “Three Ws” and the third oldest surviving men’s Test cricket player, died in his native Barbados at age 95 following a long illness.
He played 48 Test matches between 1948 and 1958, scoring 4,455 runs at an outstanding average of 58.61 per inning. He also made 15 centuries.
Sir Everton is the only batsman to make centuries in five consecutive Test innings.
His first class career yielded 12,010 runs at an average of 55, with 36 centuries.
Sir Everton was knighted in 1995 for his service to cricket.
ICONIC
Iconic former West Indies captain Sir Clive Lloyd praised Sir Everton 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,” said Sir Clive, who was credited with molding West Indies into the great side of the 1970s and 1980s. “Someone who was proud to fly the West Indies flag wherever he went.
“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.”
