Windies cricket legend Sir Clyde Walcott dead

LONDON: West Indies cricket legend Sir Clyde Walcott died in a Barbados hospital here on Saturday at the age of 80, it was reported by the BBC.          

Walcott was one of three Ws along with Sir Frank Worrell and Everton Weekes who shot to fame in the 1950s. But he first made his mark in 1945-46 when, just 20 years old, he added an unbroken 574 for the fourth wicket with his schoolmate, Worrell, for Barbados against Trinidad at Port-of-Spain.             

In 44 Tests Walcott hit 15 hundreds, and made 3,798 runs at an average of 56.68.           

In 1993 he succeeded Sir Colin Cowdrey as chairman of International Cricket Council (ICC) and, the following year, was knighted for his services to cricket.           

Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding paid tribute to his compatriot.   

"On my first tour to England in 1976 he was my manager," Holding said on hearing the news.       

"He helped me a lot early in my career. I can give you one example of what Clyde was like. On that tour we'd played against Hampshire and I wasn't very happy.         

"I didn't have the best equipment for English conditions, my studs were too short, and I was feeling sorry for myself. Clyde could see this because I was sat at the back of the coach on my own and he just came up and sat down next to me - just to have a chat," he said.       

"After I'd told him the problem he suggested a talk to some the county pros and find out about how to get some new equipment. That was Clyde, he wouldn't wait for you to ask him, he would approach you and try to help," he added.