Colin Wiltshire plays last innings in Trinidad

Dec 20, 2009 Sports

Colin Wiltshire (left) along with his wife (2nd left) son Garfield (centre), grandchildren and daughter in law Roxanne in an earlier photo.

Former National cricketer dies at age 74

By Sean Devers
Most young Guyanese cricketers are unaware of the hard work put in by their predecessors to help pave the way for what they are now enjoying and the name Colin Wiltshire might not ring a bell for this generation of players. The former British Guiana opening batsman died last Friday night in Trinidad at age 74.
But for the older generation and those who know the history of West Indies cricket, the former DCC and British Guiana opening batsman was considered a solid player who played for his country at a time when the regional First-Class competitions were now becoming an established feature in the calendar of West Indies cricket.
His magnificent 197 against the Combined Islands in 1961 at Bourda set up an emphatic innings and 144-run victory and will always be remembered by most of those fortunate to have seen it.
The accomplished opener added 69 for the first wicket with Glendon Gibbs while former Barbados and West Indies Skipper Clyde Walcott played for Guyana in that game and made 59 as British Guiana reached 438 replying to the Islander’s 210.
The former executive member of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (1970s) succumbed after failing to successfully recover from Surgery which he was forced to do last week Sunday.
Wiltshire, who was a Director at Caribbean Container Inc up to the time of his death, celebrated his 74th birthday on October 3rd and according to his only child, former Caribbean Squash Champion Garfield Wiltshire, he was a very active person who loved playing with his 3 grandchildren and spending time with his wife who was 2 years his senior.
The 43-year-old Garfield, an executive member of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) informed that his dad, who lived in Lamaha Gardens, did surgery in 2000 for Colon Cancer and did another surgery in 2004 for bleeding in his colon.
It was a similar problem which resulted in the senior Wiltshire being rushed to Trinidad last week Friday where another surgery was recommended.
The senior Wiltshire played 8 First-Class games for his country between 1958 and 1964 and finished his First Class career with an average of 34 from 15 innings.
Wilshire scored 476 runs and his 197 was his highest First-Class score.
He played for BG alongside illustrious players like Joe Solomon, Basil Butcher, Rohan Kanhai, Lance Gibbs, Charlie Stayers, Ivor Mendonca and Barbados and West Indies Test great Clyde Walcott who worked in British Guiana in the Sugar Industry in the1960s.
“Dad became unwell last week Wednesday and flew to Trinidad last week Friday. He saw the doctor on Saturday and the operation took almost 4 hours the next day because of excess bleeding. I spoke to him on Thursday night and he was not too bad. We were told that he died from pneumonia. I believe he was told to walk after his surgery but of late he has been troubled by his knees and I don’t think he was able to walk much,” Garfield informed.
His only son remembered his dad as ‘every thing you could ask for in a father and said he saw the last few club matches his dad played at DCC.
Garfield played some youth cricket at GCC and also played Table Tennis before eventually making his name in Squash.
“Growing up, dad fully supported me with sports but he encouraged me focus on both education and sport, since especially in Guyana, maybe apart from cricket…. sports is just a past time and you can’t make a living from being a sportsperson alone. My dad told me that you have to be equipped for life after sport,” Garfield disclosed.
Wiltshire’s body is expected in Guyana on Wednesday and plans to have the funeral next Monday or Tuesday are presently being worked on.
“He loved playing with his 3 grand children and his dog and being around mom.
He lived a full life although I wished it could have been longer and he could have enjoyed more time with his grands and wife, Garfield said.

1 thoughts on “Colin Wiltshire plays last innings in Trinidad”

Deryck Thompson September 15, 2013 at 10:47 pm

quite a gentleman. I know Colin as a teen growing up and as a member of DCC..He was one i look up to and respected for his gentlemanlike personality..It was a privilage for me to strap his bats for him as we did in those days when the edge splits to prolong its use…RIP Colin i will always remember you from my Queenstown days.