ValentineFORMER WEST Indies left-arm spinner Alfred Valentine, who was among 15 cricketers recently nominated as Jamaica's all-time greats, died yesterday in Florida after a long illness.
Valentine, 74, who was born April 28, 1930 in Kingston, died hours before the top five Jamaican cricketers of all time was announced at the local leg of the Scotiabank West Indian 75th Anniversary Jubilee at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
He made his debut for the West Indies during the 1950 tour of England and struck up a fruitful and feared partnership with Trinidadian Sonny Ramadhin. Both were immortalised in a calypso. Valentine played 36 Tests, scoring 141 runs and took 139 wickets.
On that tour Valentine bagged 33 wickets in four Tests after a dream start in his first match, taking 11 wickets - eight for 104 in the first innings and three for 100 in the second. For his performance he was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1951.
The following year in Australia Valentine was again on target taking 24 Test wickets.
He was dogged by injury and illness in the late 1950s but returned for the historic 1960-61 tour of Australia and played in the famous 'Tied Test'. He finished second in the bowling averages to Wes Hall.
Valentine was in the twilight of his career when the West Indies toured England in 1963 and played second fiddle to the great Guyanese offspinner Lance Gibbs, who was ahead of him in the pecking order.
He played his last Test against India, 1961-62 at Sabina Park.
Valentine remained in England before finally settling in the United States. He spent his last few weeks in a wheelchair.
