CAMACHO, GEORGE STEPHEN
D.O.B: October 15, 1945
Georgetown, Guyana
Teams: Demerara, Guyana, West Indies
Steve Camacho was a right-handed opening batsman who played 11 Test matches for the West Indies between 1968 and 1971 with a fair degree of success.
He made his debut against England at the Queen’s Park Oval in 1968 and played in all five Tests of the series registering a top score of 87 in the fourth match in Port-of-Spain.
He visited Australia later in 1968 and was engaged in the first two Tests of the five-match series totalling a mere 57 runs in four innings at an average of 14.25.
Camacho’s next chance came in mid-1969 at Lord’s where he made 67 and 45 and shared in partnerships of 106 and 73 with the late fellow Guyanese left-hander Roy Fredericks. He averaged 46.75 in the series – by far his best effort.
He played his final two matches against the visiting Indians in 1971 then made way for the likes of Desmond Lewis, Geoffrey Greenidge and Lawrence Rowe.
A consistent performer in the Shell Shield Tournament, Camacho had an extremely successful series in 1973 and was scheduled to open the batting in England that year in a three-match series.
As fate would have it, he was struck in the face by Andy Roberts while attempting a hook in the West Indies/Hampshire game and Ron Headley was summoned to take his place.
The incident had a telling impact on his confidence and although he played for Guyana until 1979, he was not consistent and assured as before.
Camacho’s best effort in West Indies cricket is no doubt his contribution as secretary of the West Indies Cricket Board and as the body’s first Chief Executive Officer.
RECORD
TESTS: 11 (1968-1971);
RUNS: 640; AVG: 29.09 HS: 87 v ENGLAND, Trinidad 1968 CATCHES: 4
(DIGICEL: Guyana’s Bigger, Better Network)