Lance Gibbs Dinner - Atlantis Cricket Club New York

Atlantis Cricket Club - NY is proud that Lancelot Richard Gibbs has agreed to accept our award as Special Cricketing Honoree for 2002 and Honorary Life Membership of Atlantis Cricket Club - NY.

Lance Gibbs is one of the greatest Test cricketers of all time. He was born on September 29, 1934 in Georgetown, Guyana and his Test career spanned the period 1958 to 1976, during which he played 79 matches and took 309 Test wickets at an average of 29.09 runs per wicket. This haul of wickets stood for many years as a test record and it is more impressive when one considers how relatively few Test matches were played by the West Indies during his era. Although Lance had many outstanding performances during his career, fans and critics would most readily recall the 1960-61 tour of Australia. He took three wickets in four balls at Sydney and had a hat-trick (three wickets in three successive deliveries) in the Adelaide Test. He destroyed India in the Bridgetown Test the following year when he took eight wickets for six runs in 15.3 overs in one session. This performance inspired Wisden to file the following report: "So masterly was his variation of flight that he appeared capable of succeeding on the truest pitches."

Lance played 330 first-class matches and took 1,024 wickets at an average of 27.22. During 1964 - 1968, Gibbs was consistently ranked the Number One bowler in Test cricket, by the PricewaterhouseCoopers rating system.

"Gibbs had it all. He gave the ball a real tweak and possessed flight, control and imagination. He was very intelligent and fiercely competitive." That was the opinion of Ted Dexter, one of the greatest Test batsmen. This assessment was echoed by many critics, who felt that Lance was outstanding in his ability to extract bounce and turn from even the most unresponsive pitches.

Like his younger cousin, Clive Lloyd, Lance's cricket was nurtured at the Demerara Cricket Club in Georgetown, Guyana. He represented Guyana for many years and played professionally for Warwickshire in the English County Cricket League. He again demonstrated his great skill and intelligence while playing for Warwickshire by adapting to bowling round the wicket. This line of attack was more effective because the prevailing law governing leg-before wicket allowed batsmen to play with their pad to the bowler coming over the wicket.

In addition to his renown as a bowler, Lance was also an outstanding fielder. He was quick and agile and had a safe pair of hands. His favorite positions were close to the wicket, especially in 'gully' where he pulled off many fantastic catches. When fielding to his own bowling, he was a serious threat to both striker and non-striker. Lance was known to take the most difficult return catches and would often run out one of the batsmen.

Both during and after his professional career, Lance has contributed much to the growth of the game of cricket. He was involved in the administration of cricket in Guyana and managed the West Indies team. He is one of the founders of the Demerara Cricket Club of USA; an organization dedicated to supporting his alma mater DCC of Guyana. However, it is Lance's informal involvement in the game, away from the spotlight, that is remarkable. For example, it is reported that while still a Test cricketer, he often joined youngsters in a game of backyard cricket next-door to his home in Kitty, Georgetown, Guyana. This is the equivalent of Michael Jordan's playing a pickup game with the youngsters in the neighborhood.

Lance's teammates and opponents alike, know him to be fiercely competitive on the field though he exhibited good sportsmanship. He demanded the greatest effort from his players but never more than he demanded of himself. His leadership was greatly appreciated by his teammates. For example, Alvin Kallicharran, former West Indies captain and Atlantis' 2001 Special Cricketing Honoree, recalled celebrating his first century for Warwickshire, when Lance, his senior teammate, summoned him to his (Lance's) room and told him that while a century was a significant milestone, he should always aim higher. Alvin credits that little talk with helping to keep him grounded and always ambitious.

For the joy he brought to fans by his play on the field and his great contribution to the game of cricket off the field, Atlantis Cricket Club - NY is honored to have Lancelot Richard Gibbs as its 2002 Special Cricketing Honoree and Honorary Life Member.