Let us honour Winston Davis

Editor: Winston Davis is a legend in his own right as a cricketer. He was not part of the winning West Indies world cups of 1975 and ’79 but was part of the World Cup Squad of 1983. He should be remembered and honoured.

He made his debut in 1983 against India after breaking the first class season bowling records. At that time it was called, “ Shell Shield” and he took 42 wickets. He claimed 608 wickets in his first class career. He made his debut in 1983 against India both in Test and ODI. He played in the Prudential World Cup, where he took 7/51. In that team were some of the West Indian greats, in the likes of Sir Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner and the late Malcolm Marshall. So for someone from the small island of SVG to make West Indies spoke volume of his bowling.

Although he was a devastating bowler, he only played 35 ODI and took 39 wickets and in Test, played 15 matches and took 45 wickets. In those days coming from an island like SVG, it was difficult to be selected and remain, for the moment you slip up, you were dropped. Interestingly, he was in and out of the team, not that he was a failure. During the series against New Zealand he was selected for the last two test matches and took 10 wickets and got his best bowling figures of 4/19.

Yet, in spite of his good bowling he was dropped from the team and played his last test in 1988, before, he got into an accident when he fell from a tree and lost [the use of] his legs. Interestingly, in that same year, 1988 he took 13 wickets from 4 matches. Not a bad performance.

He once went in as a night watchman against England and scored his highest test score of 77. His test batting average was 15.53, not bad for a bowler who played primarily as a bowler. As a bowler, he brought fear to many batsmen amongst whom were some of West Indies great batsmen like, Lawrence Rowe, Clive Lloyd and others. He bounced out and injured many batsmen who were fearful of facing him. It was how he forced his way into West Indies cricket team.

It is my personal belief that he was given a rotten deal and should have been given more test opportunities than was given to him. Be that as it may; that is history now. That is why he ought to be remembered as one of the most fearsome fast bowlers that came out from this country, and by extension the West Indies.

I am therefore, recommending that he be honoured by recommending him for a knighthood, and also that one of the bowling ends at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex be named the Winston Davis end. I would have liked a stand be named in his honour, but it is not possible since all the stands have already been named after someone.

I trust we would take seriously these recommendations and do the right thing.

Kennard King