BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Legendary all-rounder Sir Garry Sobers has hailed the late Gerry Alexander as a “wonderful man”, while recalling his role in the famous Tied Test in Brisbane 51 years ago.
Alexander, a former West Indies captain and wicketkeeper, died in his native Jamaica last weekend at age 82.
“He was a truly wonderful man. His heart and soul were in West Indies cricket. He was a very good cricketer and a tremendous person,” said Sir Garry, widely considered the finest cricketer the game has seen.
“I spent a lot of time with him when we played together in the West Indies team and he always offered words of encouragement.
He was always concerned with how others were doing. He always found time to talk to others in the team and lifted everyone’s spirits.”
Alexander played 25 Tests, scoring 961 runs for an average of 30.03 per innings and also held 85 catches and effected five stumpings.
He played a seminal role in the epic tour of Australia in 1960-61, amassing 484 runs in the five-Test series at an average of 60.50.
Alexander made a crucial 60 in the first innings of the Brisbane Test and Sir Garry recalled it was his keeping in the final over that kept the Windies in the game.
“Gerry played a very vital role in that final over.
He was the one who started things when he took a catch to get rid of Richie Benaud as he tried to hook Wes Hall. Gerry took the catch and threw the ball up, I can remember that like yesterday,” Sir Garry told Windiescricket.com
“Later in the over he did a great job to run out Wally Grout. The throw from Conrad Hunte from the boundary would not have made it to the stumps so Gerry made sure he took it in front the stumps and removed the bails.
“It was sharp thinking. If Grout got in and they would have made the runs and won the match so Gerry had to be quick. That one was very important. In that series he batted very well and kept very well. He was key to our overall success.”
