38 Cricketers who are the prides of their nations

22 – Andy Roberts

Roberts was the first Antiguan to play Test cricket for the West Indies, thus leading the way for many of his famous countrymen including Viv Richards, Richie Richardson and Curtly Amrbose. The way he played around with bouncers to create havoc among the batsmen was a craft he had perfected. He later on gave bowling coaching services to Bangladesh team as well as the Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan and then joined the West Indies Selection panel in 2006. His services to the game won him the Knighthood in 2014 – he won the Grand Cross of the Most Illustrious Order of Merit. The honour, Antigua and Barbuda’s second-highest civilian decoration, was conferred during the annual Independence Day parade at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

23 – Gary Sobers

Undoubtedly one of the greatest all-rounders of the game, Sir Gary Sobers entered the international arena at a tender age of 17. This West Indies yester-year cricketer is considered as one of the living legends of the game and his exceptional contribution to the game fetched him the Knighthood. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975.

24 – Clyde Walcott

Walcott was a member of the “three W’s”, the other two being Everton Weeks and Frank Worrell: all of them were very successful batsmen from Barbados, born within a short distance of each other in Bridgetown. In the 1950s he was arguably the best batsman in the world. In later part of his life, he had an active career as a cricket administrator, and was the first non-English and non-white chairman of the International Cricket Council. He became a Knight of St Andrew in the Order of Barbados in 1993 and was later knighted in 1994.