IN 1983, Guyana, led by Sir Clive Lloyd became the regional team to win both the Shell Shield First-Class and Geddes Grant/Harrison Line 50 overs tournaments in the same season.

A schedule of events has been planned to honour the members of that team of which three are now deceased including former West Indies off-spinner Clyde Butts who died last December at age 66.

Leslaine Lambert, the former Berbice and Guyana fast bowler who took 48 wickets from 18 First-Class matches, between 1978-1986, is one of the organisers of the event for the team’s historic achievement.

The 65-year-old Lambert who played for GDF, informed that along with retired Major General Norman McLean (the GCB President at that time), Butts was also helping with the planning locally.

“Butts was very involved with the planning of this event. So, it came as a shock when we heard he had succumbed to his injuries from a road accident on the East Bank Public Road,” disclosed Lambert, one of the quickest bowlers at that time.

“Our Manager Roy Fredericks, who came out of retirement to score a double century against Jamaica and opening batsman Andrew Lyght had passed away a while ago so we decided to add a memorial match for him to the event for him,” continued Lambert, who toured Zimbabwe in 1983 with the West Indies ‘B’ team and had best First-Class figures of 7-59 against Trinidad and Tobago at Albion.

According to the retired Major General Norman McLean, the memorial game for Butts will be played with white uniforms and is scheduled to commence at 14:00 hrs. The GCB will select the players for this game.

GCB President Bissoon Singh will give remarks while its Secretary Ronald Williams will provide a background to the tournament.

Also speaking at the reunion dinner at the Ramada (Princess) Hotel will be Sir Clive Lloyd, who will speak about the tournament, while Guyana’s President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali will give the feature address.

Events schedule:
February 29: Cocktail Reception at Castellani House to welcome the players
March 1: Reunion Dinner at Ramada (Princess) Hotel
March 2: Trip to Hampton Court Essequibo Coast
March 3: Clyde Butts T20 Memorial game at Everest