Thursday, December 24, 2009

Dominica cricket great Grayson Shillingford dies at age 63

TheDominican.net Newsdesk

Grayson Cleophas Shillingford arguably one of Dominica’s greatest criketers have died at the age of 65. The former West Indies, Combined Islamds and Dominica fast bowler died early Wednesday at his home in Salisbury.

Authorities in Dominica say Shillingford died from cancer and had been ailing for some time. Born in Machocherie, Shillingford was the cousin to Irving Shillingford who also played cricket for the West Indies.
grayson shillingford
Grayson Shillingford was a quick right arm pace bowler.

Given the Sisserou Award of Honour early last month at the 2009 Independence celebrations for his exploits on the cricket field, Shillingford had just returned to Dominica a month ago from his adopted homeland of Canada where he had been receiving treatment.

A brisk right-arm bowler with a peculiar outward-curving run up, Shillingford failed to establish himself in a West Indies side in transition in the late 1960s and early 1970s despite briefly being hailed as the successor to the legacy of Hall and Griffith.

He was picked for the 1969 tour of England despite only making his first-class debut the previous winter and taking three wickets in three matches. He played against India in 1970-71 and New Zealand in 1971-72 but thereafter drifted out of the reckoning as Keith Boyce and Bernard Julien established themselves.

The fast bowler eventually played seven Test matches for the West Indies between 1969 and 1972. He took 15 wickets at an average of 35.80, with his best returns being three for 63 off 26.5 overs against New Zealand at Sabina Park in Kingston in February 1972.

Shillingford played domestic cricket for Dominica, the Combined Islands and Windward Islands until the 1978-79 season.

During his 77 first-class matches played, he took 217 wickets at an average of 26.54, with best returns of six for 49 against Trinidad & Tobago in St Kitts.

Shillingford played 33 Shell Shield (first-class) matches between 1969 and 1979, taking 98 wickets at an average of 26.20 each.

He ended his Test career with 15 wickets at 35.80. He continued playing domestic cricket for the Windward Islands and latterly for the Combined Islands until 1978-79.

Julian Hunte, the WICB president, said Shillingford was a pioneer and a true ambassador for his country and the region. Hunte added that he was a hero to many people in his native Dominica and throughout the Windwards.

"He was one of those cricketers who had a passion for the game and served his country, the sub-region and the entire Caribbean proudly," Hunte said. "He gave his all on the field and was respected and admired.

He was totally dedicated and committed and gave a whole-hearted effort every time he took the field.

"Off the field, he made an excellent contribution to the development of the game and helped to chart the framework for the advancement of the game in his homeland as well as the Windward Islands.

He was a hero for many young men who grew up in Dominica and were fortunate enough, like he was, to play at a higher level. We hope that Shillingford's shining example would be used by others to take the game forward."

The president and CEO of the West Indies Players Association Dinanath Ramnarine hailed Shillingford as "a model cricketer who displayed all those fine qualities both on and off the field that added luster to the game."
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Comments:
Grayson Shillingford was selfless and very generous,a man with a big smile.
Many of us from the village of Salisbury who own house lots in the housing area and acres of land on the Grand Savane (Batalie Estate) is due to Grayson and Donny Boyd.
For house lots... All you had to do as a poor young man, was give Grayson a down payment of $300 or $400 and you had all the time in the world to pay the balance. For example in 1971 I gave him some money on my first lot and I completed the payment 1980 @ 75 per sg. ft.
Re. owning acres of land on the Grand Savane......
Grayson allowed us to grow vegetables on the land and our part was to give his aunt Miss Eilene from Batalie a portion from the harvest.This continued until his cousin Dense Shillingford took over in 1979 and negotiated with the Baclays Bank, so that the farmers could get a loan and own the land they were working on.

So Grayson Sillingford was a good citizen.

If he was Saved by the wonderful Grace Of God.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.

Julius John Charles.
 
Wrong picture. This is a pic of Gordon Greenidge.
 
Dear editor please note that Mr Grayson C. Shillingford did not die of cancer. Thanks

Family
 
Just a correction,,,It's $0.75 per sq. ft.

Julius John Charles
 
It's a darn shame this news outlet does such a poor job of a short simple story. The heading says age 63 the second line of the story says 65. I haven't seen Grayson in years but I'm not sure the picture is true.
Please use proof readers, when the quality is poor readers shy away from your site..two more mistakes islands typo...... islamds and Macoucherie spelt as something else...wake up guys!
 
We read the articles posted on this website and are encouraged by the editor to provide opinions and comments on them.
We also know that there is nothing free this side of heaven, except the air we breathe.What I am saying is,We are not ask to pay or make a financial contribution to run or maintain this website.
So if there is a little error in an article,Why can't we be a little bit more polite in pointing it out?.

Julius John-Charles
 
What a pity that there are no editors to correct the grammar before an article gets posted for all the world to see. Grayson Shillingford, arguably one of Dominica's greatest cricketers, HAS died (not HAVE died). My condolences to the family and to all cricket lovers.
 

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