Everton Weekes to feature in cricket museum at Eden Gardens

Kolkata, July 2 (IANS) The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), while mourning the demise of West Indian legend Everton Weekes, on Thursday announced that the iconic cricketer would feature in the soon to come up cricket museum at Eden Gardens. Legendary West Indies batsman Weekes passed away at the Christ Church home on Wednesday in Barbados. He was 95.

In his career, Everton played 48 Test matches and made 4455 runs at an average of 58.61 per innings. This included a world record five consecutive centuries in 1948 – scores of 141 against England in Jamaica, followed by scores of 128, 194, 162 and 101 in India. In his next innings, he made 90.

Weekes was the last of the famous ‘Three Ws’ a trio of West Indian batting legends whose lives became irrevocably entwined. The other two being Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott.

“Everton Weekes was a huge name in cricket. His loss is deeply felt in the world of sports. He is especially remembered by all of us here for being the first person to score an international century at Eden Gardens in independent India. We have decided that his name would feature prominently in the cricket museum which would be set up at Eden Gardens, the work of which would commence once the pandemic is over,” said CAB President Avishek Dalmiya.

The CAB also plans to have a small feature on that Test Match during its Annual Awards ceremony.

Speaking on this, the CAB President stated, “We would remember that historic Test which happened for the first time at Eden Gardens after Indian independence during the Annual Awards ceremony later this year.

“Since we would be felicitating the senior Bengal cricket team on becoming the Ranji finalists during the 2019-2020 season in that event, we would also be remembering Late Mantu Banerjee’s contribution in that match.

“We would also be highlighting Late Banerjee’s contribution to Bengal cricket since one has to remember that he had been the highest wicket-taker during the 1952/53 season where Bengal lost to Holkar in the Ranji Final at Eden Gardens by a whisker.”

Sudangsu Mantu Banerjee played only one Test, the one in which Weekes became the first overseas batsman to score twin tons in a Test in Independent India.

Mantu Banerjee remains one of the eight men with five wickets and three catches on Test debut. He never donned the Indian colors again.

–IANS

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