WHEN the news broke that former Guyana and West Indies cricket captain Clive Lloyd was knighted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in her recent New Years Honours List, many Guyanese and West Indians expressed their delight. Lloyd, and his former teammate, Barbados and West Indies opening batsman Gordon Greenidge were the two West Indian players on the esteemed list of individuals. Although most Caribbean countries have gained independence from Britain, and Guyana went one step further by becoming a republic, knighthood is still held in high esteem in the region.

From the legendary Frank Worrell and Learie Constantine, and the incomparable Garfield Sobers to Lloyd and Greenidge, West Indian cricketers have been recognised by the Queen for their contribution to the game that West Indian philosopher and thinker, CLR James describes as one that goes “beyond the boundary”.

Clive Lloyd’s recognition is richly deserved. His name is synonymous with an era of West Indian and world cricket that stands out in the annals of cricket history, a period when West Indies dominated the sport for almost two decades. It is still the longest period that any team has dominated a team-sport. Lloyd was the captain of the West Indian team for most of that period, from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He is hailed as the architect of the strategy that set in train that era of dominance.

When he was named captain in 1974, the West Indies team had endured a prolonged period of decline, following the exploits of the Worrell-Sobers teams of the 1960s. He was given a very young and inexperienced team that was brutalised by the rampaging Australians in 1975-76. With a pair of lightning-fast fast bowlers in Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thompson, the ‘Aussies’ humiliated the West Indies with a 5-1 defeat. Lloyd vowed that the West Indies would fight fire with fire, and recruited a cadre of fast bowlers that would become the envy of the rest of the cricketing world. They were aided by a string of great batsmen, led by the imperious Vivian Richards and Lloyd himself.

The Lloyd era was remarkable, not just for the sheer skill of the players in every department of the game, but more importantly, it was a team imbued with a deep sense of nationalism. The players had a keen understanding of history and the Caribbean’s place in that history. They embodied James’ thesis that cricket for the Caribbean was not just a sport; it was a medium of political struggle and cultural liberation, or what Professor Hilary Beckles calls “Liberation Cricket”. One remembers when, in 1976, the then England captain promised to make the West Indies team grovel, how that statement ignited a political response from the team, which correctly interpreted it as a cultural insult laden with racial overtones.

As captain, Clive Lloyd was a master tactician. Yes, he had a talented team to work with, but the manner in which he marshalled his troops became the new standard for West Indian captaincy. His was an aggressive approach that was not reckless. He never backed down from a challenge, and trusted his players to express themselves in periods of challenge and crisis. The Clive Lloyd team believed they were unbeatable and unstoppable. Lloyd instilled that sense of confidence in his players, that they were equal human beings endowed with the skills, temperament and the capacity to absorb the energies of the people they represented.

In addition to being a great and inspirational leader, Lloyd was an equally great player in his own right. He remains one of West Indies’ greatest batsmen. His record speaks for itself. But it was the manner in which he scored his runs. Throughout his long career, he was known as one of the world’s most attacking batsmen. He hit the ball with tremendous power, especially of the backfoot, a skill that is matched only by Sir Clyde Walcott of the ‘Three Ws’ fame.

He was a handy bowler, starting as a leg spinner and later becoming a decent medium pacer. But the world will remember Clive Lloyd as perhaps the greatest outfielder of his generation. The “Super Cat”, as he was known, was a sensation at cover-point where he saved so many runs for his teams. When injury curtailed his speed in the outfield, he became an equally great slip fielder, a skill that was an asset to the fast bowlers under his command.

As we salute Sir Clive, we also remember his contributions to the game after he retired. As a manager, selector and ICC official, he brought the same thoughtful approach to his job. Many younger players credit their development to his mentorship. He is still active, and continues to give back to the game that made him the legend he his. Despite his fame, Sir Clive has remained a humble man. He is till the ordinary boy from Queenstown who conquered the world. His comments on learning of his knighthood tells it all: “It was a surprise, because I devoted over 50 years of my life to the great game of cricket, which has contributed vastly to my upward mobility in life. So, to be recognised and honoured for playing a sport which is so enjoyable, is a most pleasant surprise. I dedicate this to my parents, who taught me never to give up; to never let all the negative talk define you. I’d also like to acknowledge the players from the West Indies and Lancashire, who were all contributing factors to my success.”