FORMER West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago cricketer Rangy Nanan has died. Nanan passed away at the Couva District Hospital after falling ill at his home in Preyal early yesterday morning, the Trinidad Express Newspaper reported. Nanan was 62 years old. In a release yesterday, the Board of Directors, Management and staff of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) regret the passing of Nanan.
Nanan was described as a quality off-spinner who served Trinidad and Tobago for almost two decades with distinction, leading them in the Shell Shield in the 1980s. He played in 94 first class matches where he racked up 366 wickets and scored 2 607 runs.
He played one Test for the West Indies in the 1980-81 year versus Pakistan where he took four wickets and scored 16 runs. His bowling figures for the match were 36-7-91-4. West Indies won that match by 156 runs.
After making his first class debut in 1973, he served the TT team as captain from 1984 to 1991. Following his retirement, he served as a Police officer, a liaison officer for the West Indies team and was a volunteer for the Cricket World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean. The WICB offers condolences to his family and close friends.
ESPN Cricinfo described the cricketer as having the: “misfortune to be one of the Caribbean’s leading spinners at the time Clive Lloyd’s all-pace strategy was taking hold”.
A leading off-spinner for Trinidad for almost two decades, his best season was in 1981-82 when he took 32 Shell Shield wickets in five matches. When he retired he was their leading wicket-taker in the competition. He was no mean batsman either with a first-class hundred to his name.