Barbados’ most significant day is being reserved to pay tribute to the world’s greatest fast bowler.
At least 12 capped West Indies players, including current Test batsman Kirk Edwards, are set to pay homage to the great Malcolm Marshall as part of the annual T20 cricket festival being staged at the Desmond Haynes Oval on November 30.
A star-studded G Spot team, which is comprised mainly of Carlton first division players and bolstered by Edwards, Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Smith and former Windies pacer Mervyn Dillon, heads a four-team line-up that includes local T20 champs Empire, UWI and the BCL-based Lee Bistro All Saints.
It’s the second such tournament named in Marshall’s honour, following last year’s inaugural competition that Wadadah won at the same venue.
“Obviously he was one of the greatest fast bowlers of our time and I felt that I needed to do something to keep him remembered by others so we can carry on his legacy,” said organiser Mark Gaskin of chief sponsors Lee’s Bistro’s Catering.
“I hope we get to recognise the greatness of the man and what he has done for Barbados and the West Indies. And every year we try to have some competition and build it from strength to strength,” added Gaskin.
The tournament is expected to get off to an explosive start with UWI taking on the Lee Bistro All Saints at 9 a.m. before Empire face pre-competition favourites G Spot at 11:30 a.m. The two winners advance towards the final to be played later that same afternoon with $8 000 on the line.
“What Mark Gaskin has been doing in terms of remembering Malcolm Marshall cannot be underscored, it’s something I believe we should be doing more often in the Caribbean,” said UWI’s sports coordinator Steven Leslie.
“We don’t just need to hold tournaments of this nature but also have documented evidence of what these gentlemen would’ve done.”
One of the game’s all-time greats, Marshall took 376 wickets in 81 Tests between 1978 to 1992 at an average of 20.94. The cricketing world then mourned his death when the then 41-year-old legend died of cancer on November 4, 1999.
Marshall’s son Mali, who plays club cricket for Wanderers, is expected to appear in G Spot’s line-up for the festival.