Gerry Alexander dead at age 82

Former Jamaica and West Indies captain Franz 'Gerry' Alexander died yesterday at the age of 82 at his home in Orange Grove in St Andrew.

Alexander, a right-handed wicketkeeper batsman, played 25 Test matches for the West Indies between 1957 and '61. He scored 961 runs at an average of 30.03 in Tests for the West Indies with a top score of 108 against Australia in Sydney in 1960-61. In the famous tied Test of the same series at Brisbane, Alexander made 60 in the West Indies' first innings.

Alexander became captain of the West Indies team in 1958 against Pakistan at home and led the team on the tour of India and Pakistan in 1958-59 and against England in 1960.

In the Caribbean against England in 1960, Alexander equalled the world wicketkeeping Test record of 23 dismissals.

Among a long line of Wolmer's old boys who played for and kept wicket for the West Indies, Alexander made 484 runs and took 16 catches in his final Test series against Australia in 1960-61. In his career, he also had 90 dismissals for the West Indies behind stumps.

In first-class cricket for Jamaica, Alexander scored 3,238 runs at an average of 29.17. In 1982, he received the Order of Distinction from the Government of Jamaica for his outstanding contribution to sports.

Alexander's wife, Barbara, passed away four weeks ago.