TTCB mourns late WI batsman Nurse

THE TT Cricket Board (TTCB) has extended condolences on the passing of ex-Barbados and West Indies cricketer Seymour Nurse, who died on Monday at the Queen’s Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, after ailing for some time.

President of the TTCB Azim Bassarath said, on Tuesday, that regional cricket had lost one of its icons who represented the true spirit of West Indies cricket.

“Seymour Nurse was natural stroke-player who believed that the cricket ball should be hit and was one of the earliest batting stars to emerge from the Caribbean in a spectacular fashion,” he said.

Bassarath said the passing of Nurse had left a void in West Indies cricket, but that he had left indelible memories of a fearless warrior who was not afraid to take the attack to opposing bowlers.

He said that, apart from his prowess on the cricket field when he struck terror in the minds of opponents, Nurse conducted himself like a gentleman off the field and was a worthy ambassador of Barbados and West Indies cricket.

Bassarath agreed that Nurse was part of the great Barbados talent pool that emerged after the end of the Second World War and played a significant role in the 29 Tests he played for the West Indies. “Seymour Nurse was magnificent stroke player par excellence,” Bassarath said.

A relative latecomer to high-level cricket, Nurse’s Test cricket career came to what many consider a premature end in 1969 when he retired at the peak of his powers, having just dominated the New Zealand bowlers in a three-Test series.

His last Test score of 258 is still the highest score by a cricketer in his final innings.

A member of the famous Empire Cricket Club, Nurse’s cricketing mentor was club-mate Everton Weekes and made his First Class debut for Barbados in 1958.

The following year he slammed a double-century for Barbados against the touring English and quickly found himself called up for Test duties with the West Indies.

Over the next five years, Nurse struggled to establish himself as a permanent fixture in the West Indies team. It was not until WI toured England in 1966 that Nurse was able to perform consistently at international level.