Former West Indies wicketkeeper David Murray passes away at 72

Former West Indies wicketkeeper-batter David Murray has passed away at the age of 72. As per a statement by Cricket West Indies (CWI), Murray passed away on Friday night. “Cricket West Indies today paid tribute to David Murray, the former Barbados and West Indies wicket-keeper who passed away on Friday night. He was 72,” said CWI in a statement. Murray was the son of West Indies batting great Everton Weekes. Murray’s son Ricky Hoyte, represented Barbados and West Indies ‘A’ Team as a wicket-keeper/batsman. Murray’s first tour with the West Indies was in 1973 to England. He made his international debut in the second One-Day International by a West Indies men’s team, which featured Lance Gibbs, Roy Fredericks Rohan Kanhai, and Clive Lloyd. His Test debut came in 1978 against Australia in Guyana. Overall, he played 19 Tests, 10 One-Day Internationals, and also 114 first-class matches. Ricky Skerritt, President of CWI paid tribute to Murray, “On behalf of CWI, I want to offer my sincere condolences to Ricky, and other members of David’s family and friends. David was a gifted wicketkeeper and a stylish middle-order batsman. He loved the game of cricket, and played with a smile on his face.” “He will be remembered as a member of the great West Indies squad which dominated world cricket for over a decade. Devoted West Indies cricket fans still remember David’s fantastic glove work and footwork behind the stumps to Michael Holding and other members of the fearsome West Indies fast bowling attack of his time,” he added. In 19 Tests, Murray scored 601 runs at an average of 21.46, with the best score of 84. He hit three fifties in the longer format. Murray also took 57 catches and did five stumpings in Tests. In 10 ODIs, Murray scored 45 runs at an average of 9.00, with the best individual score of 35. He also took 16 catches in this format. Murray also had 114 first-class cricket appearances to his name, in which he scored 4,503 runs at an average of 30.84. He scored seven tons and 19 fifties in the format, with the best score of 206*. 293 catches and 30 stumpings were also done by Murray in FC cricket.