ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Cricket West Indies yesterday praised the iconic Sir Vivian Richards for helping the region “establish new levels of greatness” after the former West Indies captain was presented with the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC).
Sir Vivian, the only West Indies captain never to have lost a Test series, presided over one of the halcyon periods for the Caribbean side during the 1980s, while also carving his name into history as perhaps the most dominant batsmen of his era.
On Sunday, the 70-year-old Antiguan was one of four CARICOM nationals conferred with the honour at the 43rd CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Suriname.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors of CWI and the entire West Indies Cricket community, I want to congratulate Sir Viv on this tremendous honor, which was conferred on him by CARICOM,” CWI president Ricky Skerritt said in a statement.
“It is a most fitting honour for a true hero of our region, a man who demonstrated to the world that Caribbean people are capable of punching above our weight by achieving excellence globally.
“Sir Viv took the baton from the pioneers of West Indies Cricket and established new levels of greatness and dominance for others to follow.
“He used his God-given talents, his mental and physical readiness, and his cricket bat, to bring glory to West Indians all around the world.”
Sir Viv turned out in 121 Tests and 187 One-Day Internationals between 1974 and 1991, scoring 8 540 runs in the longest format and 6 721 in ODIs.
He also played pivotal roles in West Indies’ capture of the 50-over World Cup titles in 1975 and 1979 – scoring a magnificent hundred in the latter final.
Also honoured by CARICOM were famed Trinidadian calypsonian David Rudder; Dame Billie Miller, former Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados; and Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, the former Secretary-General of CARICOM.
Recipients are accorded the title “Honourable’”, along with “OCC” following their names.
The OCC was first conferred in 1992.
