CRICKET WEST INDIES

Cricketers, umpires and other officials travelled from across the Caribbean to attend the funeral. Before the funeral service there was a viewing of the body at the Bourda Cricket Ground, where Duncan stood in his first international match back in 1988. After the viewing, Duncan’s body was taken on a final trip around the ground.

Attending were Test umpires Billy Doctrove and Eddie Nicholls, international umpires Norman Malcolm and Clancy Mack, as well as others from across the region. Also present were former West Indies allrounder and coach Roger Harper, former Barbados captain and West Indies batsman Roland Holder and former West Indies fast bowler Colin Stuart. The West Indies Cricket Board was represented by Directors Dr. Allen Sammy and Anand Sanasie.

Doctrove, who flew in from Dominica said: “The passing of Clyde leaves a hole in the umpiring fraternity in the West Indies. I have lost a colleague and a friend. He was a very good man and good friend. He made a great contribution to the game of cricket and everyone he came into contact with recognized his calmness, his professionalism and the respect he had for others.”

Malcolm, who travelled from Jamaica added: “Clyde’s warmth and commitment to team work has always been his hallmarks. His passion for umpiring can never be questioned and his knowledge of the game coupled with a willingness to apply them has endeared him to friends and skeptics. He was a good friend as a well as a colleague and cricket has lost one of its most dedicated servants.”

Holder, a Senior Project Officer of the WICB said: “As a player I first met Clyde Duncan when he officiated in a Barbados vs Guyana match in 1992. Over the years we developed a rapport, friendship and a mutual respect for each other which was further strengthened in 2006, when Clyde was appointed Cricket Operations Manager for Guyana. I found him to be an honest, dedicated; hardworking man and I firmly believe that cricket is the poorer with his passing.”

Umpire Duncan stood in two Tests in the early 1990s and his international career spanned 1988 to 2010. His debut One Day International was between West Indies and Pakistan in 1988 at Bourda. He last stood in an international match in Antigua last year when West Indies played South Africa.

Duncan stood in 21 ODIs and six Twenty20 Internationals and performed third and fourth umpire duties in numerous other international matches while he was a member of the ICC International Panel.

Umpire Duncan was born on January 7 1954 and is survived by his wife Fay and children Dr. Tracey Duncan-Clarke, Joanna, Troy and Susanna.

Off the field Duncan served as Cricket Operations Manager in Guyana for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and ICC World Twenty20 Tournament last year. He was also a teacher and Head Master at various schools in Guyana during his career in education.