March14 regional cricketing hero remembered

AS VINCENTIANS AT home and Garifuna people the world over join in activities to honour our National Hero, Paramount Chief Chatoyer, it is interesting to note that the date March 14 has regional cricketing significance as well.

On that date in 1935, the first titan of West Indies cricket, Jamaican George Headley, began a monumental innings at Sabina Park, Jamaica. Playing against England, Headley, batting at No. 3, not only hit the then highest ever score by a Caribbean batsman, 270 not out, but also led his team to the highest total to that date and eventually an innings victory over the Englishmen. It was the Windies’ second ever defeat of England, Headley himself with a century in both innings, having been instrumental in its previous lone triumph, at Bourda, Georgetown in 1930.

Headley, who died in his native country in 1983, is The widely regarded, not only as the first of the great batsmen that the Caribbean has produced, but its greatest and is compared only to the Australian maestro, Sir Donald Bradman, among all batsmen who have ever occupied the international stage.

A real regional cricketing hero, making an indelible mark on our own National Heroes Day!