Knighthood for a cricket legend (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Knighthood for a cricket legend

8:39am Monday 18th June 2012 in Sport

LEGENDARY former Accrington professional Wes Hall has been knighted in the Queen’s birthday honours list for his “services to sport and the community”.

The Barbados-born fast bowler, the first West Indies bowler to take a Test hat-trick, who played 48 Tests for West Indies from 1958 to 1969, is remembered for his role in the famous tied Test of 1960 against Australia in Brisbane.

Hall claimed nine wickets in that match and bowled the final over with Australia needing six runs for victory. Three wickets fell in Hall’s over, including two run-outs, and the match was tied.

But he is equally remembered around Thorneyholme Road for his stunning impace in his three seasons in the Lancashire League as he claimed 100 wickets in 1960, 106 wickets in 1961 and 123 wickets a year later.

After retirement, Hall served as West Indies manager and selector and was president of the West Indies Cricket Board from 2001 to 2003. He was also a minister of tourism and sport in the Barbados government, and is a church minister.

“There are few in West Indies cricket who could be more deserving of such an illustrious honour as Wes Hall,” Julian Hunte, the WICB president, said. “Wes has been a true and unwavering servant of cricket, who fought for equality for West Indies on and off the field.

“He laboured for our game and our people because of his love for cricket and West Indians, and so diverse are his talents and skills that he has also served Barbados and the region in politics, religion and as a widely acclaimed and speaker.”