da spicy bet： Sir Sydney Walling, the legendary Antiguan cricketer, died aged 102
Cricinfo staff11-Oct-2009Sir Sydney Walling, the legendary Antiguan cricketer, died on Thursday aged 102.An opening batsman with a reputation for nimble footwork, he made his debut in 1927, and despite making 156 in the trial match in Guyana in 1927-28 he missed out on selection for the tour of England the following summer, inter-island prejudices counting against him. In 1933-34 he became the first black cricketer to lead the Antigua team. He also captained the Leeward Islands and played in the first-ever Combined Islands team in the early 1950s.Some commentators argued that Walling would have been the fourth W, with the other great post-war West Indies batsmen – Frank Worrell, Clyde Walcott and Everton Weekes.His cricketing abilities did help him in other ways. His first job in the post office in 1922 came because of his skill as a batsman, and he rose through the ranks to become the country’s postmaster.In recognition of Walling’s cricketing achievements, a stand at the Antigua Recreation Ground and the highway leading to the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, were named in his honour.He was a talented musician as well, playing the baritone horn in a local band. He was awarded a knighthood in 2004 for his services to Antigua.