BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Nigel Harrison, the former Barbadian first-class umpire, has died after a brief illness. He was 77.
Harrison stood in several matches in the 1980s in the Shell Shield and Red Stripe Cup championships, as well as regional one-day matches.
He was also a former president and treasurer of the Barbados Cricket Umpires Association (BCUA).
Harrison played cricket for one of Barbados’ most celebrated clubs, Spartan, in the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) First and Intermediate division competitions, switching from a wicket-keeper/batsman to an off-spinning all-rounder after he also represented Harrison College.
He was good enough to be invited to national trials.
Quiet and unassuming, Harrison was also a former Managing Director of Corbin Compton, a leading Barbados advertising company.
Former international umpire and long-time close friend Lloyd Barker, described Harrison as a “good umpire” who was “approachable and very knowledgeable”.
“As umpires, we started our first-class careers the same year in 1981 and would travel to different locations. We were both on the Board of the BCUA during the time I was president and when I gave up that post for two years he took over before I returned,” Barker told the BCA website.
“Nigel was always my personal friend and we discussed intimate details of cricket. He was approachable and very knowledgeable on matters surrounding the game. He seemed to have solutions for what appeared to be big problems.
“He was a good umpire. I don’t think he ever had a bad report. He knew the game and was always very involved in the training of new umpires,” Barker said.
Harrison leaves to mourn his wife Marjorie and sons David and Adrian. David was a hockey player for Spartan while Adrian played cricket for Wanderers.
The funeral will be held today.
