Prime Minister has described the late Irving Shillingford as “a Dominican cricketing hero and a pioneer who excelled in the sport of cricket.”
Shillingford passed away on January 26, 2023, after a lengthy health battle.
In expressing condolences on behalf of the government and people of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit disclosed that he had spoken to the widow of the later Irving Shillingford (Elizabeth) and told her about the decision of Cabinet to accord her late husband an “official funeral.”
“The government and people of Dominica recognize his exceptional contribution to the development of cricket in Dominica and his many years spent promoting the sports…and his years of service as a national selector,”
He explained that the official funeral is an “expression of the high honour and esteem in how the late Irving Shillingford is held by the Government and people of Dominica.”
He also stated that the government has in place an existing policy whereby official funerals are only given to former members of parliament and the government has decided to go past that policy and give to late former Dominica, West Indies, and Combine Island player Irvine Shillingford “an official funeral.”
Irving Shillingford was a gifted batsman who made his first-class debut aged 16 but had to wait another four years for his second appearance when he impressed batting No. 3 against the touring Australians – thereafter he scored consistently for more than a decade without coming close to international recognition.
A superb 1976-77 season finally saw him called into the West Indies side at the age of 32 for the second Test against Pakistan, where he made 39 and 2, but in the third Test at Georgetown, he blasted 120, but by the end of the series he had lost his place in a powerful batting line-up. He was again in excellent form the following season, hitting his career-best 238 against the Leeward Islands at Castries, and when the Packer rebels disappeared, he was given another chance, against Australia in Guyana. But he made 3 and 16 and was again dropped. In a different era, Shillingford would have made far more than four Test appearances.
He was born April 18, 1944, and died January 26, 2023, aged 78 years, 223 days.
My only comment is please spell my father’s name right…Irving.
Please add me on fb Sandra Elizabeth, ur brother Marlon would like to speak with you.
The correct spelling of my father’s name is Irving could you please correct it. This is the second time I am posting this as my first comment was removed.
It’s corrected when I’m seeing it now. Your brother MS says good lookin out.