Ex GCB president to honour first regional team to take ‘double’
In 1983, the Guyana team won its first ever ‘double; the Shell Shield Regional First-Class Trophy and Harrison Line Cup 50-overs title in the same season
In 1983, the Guyana team won its first ever ‘double; the Shell Shield Regional First-Class Trophy and Harrison Line Cup 50-overs title in the same season

IN 1983, under two-time World Cup winner, the astute Sir Clive Hubert Lloyd, Guyana won its first ever ‘double; the Shell Shield Regional First-Class Trophy and Harrison Line Cup 50-overs titles in the same season of the West Indies senior championships.

Later this month, several members of that team are getting together to host a series of events to mark that record breaking feat.
As conveyed by then President of the Guyana Cricket Board Major General (retired) Norman McLean to Chronicle Sport, the events will run February 29 to March 3.

They include a cocktail reception at the Umana Yana on February 29, a reunion dinner at Princess Hotel on March 1, a trip to Hampton Court, Essequibo on March 2 and a memorial 20-over cricket match set for either Everest Cricket Ground or Bourda Cricket Ground on March 3.

The former GCB president recounted what a joy it was back then to witness the feat.

“It was an outstanding performance by the Guyana team [which] was led by none other than one of the best West Indian Captains in the history of West Indian cricket Sir. Clive Hubert Lloyd. This was the outstanding leadership which gave us that performance as well as those of the members of the team, which composed of such stalwarts as Roy Fredericks,” said Major General (Retired).

Three members of that squad gone on the great beyond; Player/Manager Fredericks, still the only person a score a First-Class double century while being a sitting Minister of any government, opener Andrew Lyght and Off-Spinner Clyde Butts who died last year at age 66.

Apart from Fredericks who made 217 against Jamaica at Bourda in the same 1983 and Lyght, whom many deemed should have played Test cricket, Fouad Bacchus, and Monte Lynch were also in the side.
There were the outstanding off spinners and pacers, Clyde Butts, Roger Harper, Garfield Charles, Ray Joseph and Leslaine Lambert.

Behind the stumps was Milton Pydanna with great all-round support from Derrick Kallicharran, Tyrone Etwaroo, Komal Singh and William Whyte.

“As President of the Guyana Cricket Board at that time there was reason to be very proud of their achievements. The team is being assembled to recognize their performance and to have a reunion of that team,” posited Mr. McLean who was GCB President until 1987.

The former GCB President said, “We wish to recognise the support already given for this activity by the Honorable Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Mansoor Nadir, Mr. Tameshwar Jagmohan, Clive Lloyd and Leslaine Lambert, who have volunteered their support in providing memorabilia. This follows our wonderful victory last year in the CPL 2023 by the Guyana Amazon Warriors led by Imran Tahir.”
Roger Harper later went on to achieve the same feat in 1987, though the 1983 lads would always be known as the trail blazers.

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