Dear Editor
IT is with great sadness that I learnt of the passing of Basil Butcher.
Butcher was one of the world’s best batsman in his day. Cricket lovers who had the good fortune of seeing him bat would never forget his beautiful on-drive. When he played it not a fielder moved as the ball, more often than not, raced to the boundary.

“Basil B,” as he was fondly known, came to prominence with Rohan Kanhai and Joe Solomon, all from Port Mourant, all world-class batsmen. I fondly recall his 209 not out at Trent Bridge in England, where he not just saved the West Indies, but snatched for his team, victory from the jaws of defeat!

I still recall the screaming headlines in our newspaper the next day, ‘Butchery at Trent Bridge,’ a most apt headline. Later in his career he also became a deadly spin bowler. Maybe his biggest misfortune was that he, a giant, came to prominence at a time when two other giants were dominating West Indies batting, Rohan Kanhai and Garfield Sobers. At his best he was their equal. I extend deepest sympathy to his family and would forever be thankful for the joy he brought to our lives.

Regards
Donald Ramotar
Former President