“He was everything you would want in a person.”
That’s how one of his friends remember the late Colin Wiltshire, 74, who passed away at a hospital in Trinidad Friday night of pneumonia.
Not surprisingly, the news of the death of the former British Guiana opening batsman sent shock waves through the sporting fraternity of Guyana.
“We were pretty close; I’m still in shock, said former Guyana wicketkeeper Geoffrey `Reds’ Murray yesterday.
Hard hit too was Wiltshire’s son Garfield, a former three-time Southern Caribbean squash champion, Guyana Cricket Board president Chetram Singh and Deputy General Manager of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited Terry Holder.
Garfield Wiltshire, who represented Guyana at table tennis and squash in a distinguished sports career said yesterday though he knew his father was not well, he was still devastated by the loss.
And Singh yesterday declared Wiltshire’s death as a great loss to Guyana’s cricket.
“In the `60s when he played for Guyana he was one of the better opening batsmen during those days,” Singh said.
He added that Wiltshire, who served as a secretary to the cricket board, was always willing to give advice.
Holder made a similar declaration:”We in the board would have lost someone who has made a great contribution to cricket.”
Wiltshire, played eight matches for what was then British Guiana, scoring 476 runs at an average of 34.
His highest score was 197.
His first class career spanned the period 1958-59 to 1963/64.
Holder yesterday said Wiltshire, a Director and former Company Secretary of Caribbean Containers, was an “outstanding opening batsman for the Demerara Cricket Club in the days when Fred Wills was captain.”
According to Holder Wiltshire scored heavily on the local scene and was soon in the Guyana team alongside such stalwarts as Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Joe Solomon and Ivan Madray.
“He was a regular, reasonably prolific but susceptible to leg before wicket decisions because he had a way to playing to leg and was often given out LBW,” Holder recalled.
Holder said after Wiltshire hung up his bat he served as an administrator and was secretary to the Guyana Cricket Board for a number of years.
“He was a thinker, a student of the game,” Holder said adding that Wiltshire was a tireless worker who was responsible for the development of a number of players who passed through the Demerara Cricket Club.
Holder said he will always remember Wiltshire for the advice he gave to Guyana and West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan following the West Indies team’s return from a tour of Sri Lanka.
Noting that Sarwan had gotten starts and had not gone on to make big scores Holder said that Wiltshire told Sarwan at the Umana Yana that…”When you’re batting with Lara try not to match him stroke for stroke.”
Murray praised Wiltshire calling him a “Gentleman” and his mentor.
“Colin and I represented British Guiana in the early `60s and played in one of the most memorable matches against an all powerful Barbados team winning by about 20 runs.
“He was a fine opening batsman for the country and the Demerara Cricket Club which he represented with great distinction.
“He was a gentleman, a mentor, and a great role model to all especially younger players. Later his skills as an administrator of the cricket board were of the highest quality. We were friends and regular in contact and we remained so until I heard of his sudden passing on Friday evening. I am still in shock and offer my deepest and sincerest sympathy to his dear wife Sibyl and son Garfield and all of his family. I shall really miss him.”
Wiltshire, father-in-law of Roxanne George, leaves to mourn his wife Sibyl, son Garfield and grandchildren Akeila, Shomari and Larissa.
Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
