Cricket fraternity mourns West Indies great Everton Weekes’ death
“Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of an icon. A legend, our hero, Sir Everton Weekes. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and many fans around the world. May he rest in peace,” West Indies Cricket said in a tweet.
The cricket world was left in mourning in the early hours of Thursday as reports came to surface that West Indies legend Everton Weekes has passed away at the age of 95. Weekes, the last surviving member of the famous three 'Ws', which included Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott, was hailed as one of greatest batsmen of his time. In his career, Weekes played 48 test matches and made 4,455 runs at an average of 58.61 per innings. That included a world-record five consecutive centuries in 1948 — scores of 141 against England in Jamaica, followed by scores of 128, 194, 162 and 101 in India. In his next innings, he made 90 when he was run out.
"Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of an icon. A legend, our hero, Sir Everton Weekes. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and many fans around the world. May he rest in peace," West Indies Cricket said in a tweet.
"Everyone at MCC and Lord's are saddened at the news of Sir Everton Weekes' passing. He will forever be remembered as one of @windiescricket's finest cricketers. Our thoughts are with his family and friends," the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) added.
Former India captain Anil Kumble also took to Twitter to honour the West Indies legend. "Saddened to hear about the passing of WI legend Sir. Everton Weekes. Had met him during the ICC conference in Barbados. He remembered a conversation we had during his time as match referee. Condolences to his family and friends," he wrote.
Former India spinner Bishan Singh Bedi also gave his condolences. "Sir Everton Weekes was a murderer of bowlers globally..but the Crkt World doesn't know he hit only one six in his life..'play along the ground' was maxim then!Sir Learie Constantine opined..'hit it so far that no fielder comes close'..Gr8 Caribbean Crkt philosophy-Entertaining," he wrote on Twitter.
Cricket commentator and analyst Harsha Bhogle wrote on Twitter: "The great Everton Weekes bids goodbye at 95. Was a score some bowling sides would have been happy to concede when he was peeling off centuries. The three Ws will now rest together, adjacent to each other. They enriched cricket."
Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt said Weekes was "a gentleman and quite simply a wonderful human being."
"I got to spend a couple hours with him last year just sitting at his home and talking with him, at a time when he was recovering from a serious illness," Skeritt said of Weekes' heart attack in June 2019. "I grew to appreciate his sense of humour and his love of people, and witnessed the love and respect that so many held for him in Barbados and across the entire region."