by Arunabha Sengupta
Everton Weekes was still sprightly at 92 when John McKenzie informed him that he was in Barbados. When he said he would like to come down to his place, the legend dismissed the idea. Weekes got into his car and drove all the way to the hotel where the specialist cricket publisher and bookseller had checked in.
McKenzie had just published Everton Weekes: An Appreciation, the last ever book penned by the voice of West Indian cricket Tony Cozier. When Weekes got out of his car and walked into the hotel, and followed it up with characteristic sparkling conversation, he could not help but wonder about the life force in the man.
According to McKenzie, Weekes, even at 92, was not averse to drinking and driving. If the combination hadn’t finished him yet at 92, it could not be that lethal.
But Weekes was no stranger to a long innings. His five centuries in five consecutive Test innings is one of the most enduring records in the highest form of the game. Yet, the man himself was too modest to attach much importance to the feat. He attributed his selection into the West Indian Test side, ahead of a clutch of talented batsmen, to pure luck. “You have got to be lucky in everything you do,” was his simple belief.
A short, compact man with amazing artillery of strokes, he used to time the ball to perfection. He also had wonderful eyes and wrists. Blessed with the gift of getting into the ideal position for each stroke, he seemed to have several options for each ball — most of them attacking. Richie Benaud later recounted that according to many Australians who saw him bat, he was the closest in style to pre-World War II Don Bradman. When he called it a day, he was considered by many to be the most accomplished batsman amongst the hallowed trio — Clyde Walcott and Frank Worrell being the other two — aptly named the Three Ws.
He reached his 1000 Test runs in his 12th innings. It is still the joint fastest, with Herbert Sutcliffe. The final figures of Weekes read 4455 runs in 48 Tests. His average of 58.61 will continue to stand as one of the best ever.
There is only one six that Weekes ever struck in Test cricket. That was cracked over long on at Port of Spain, off a no-ball sent down by Bill Johnston in April 1955. Otherwise, he seldom lifted the ball off the turf. Weekes had a modest explanation for that as well: “I suppose it was a lot to do with upbringing. When we were playing between the houses and you hit the ball into a house or through someone’s window, the game would stop. The resident would hold on to the ball and you wouldn’t see it again, all because it was hit in the air.”
Yet, this modest man was not averse to standing up for himself.
The International World Tour of 1962, according to Wisden, covered 40,000 miles and played in countries and territories as far flung as Rhodesia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Cricketarchive lists them as Commonwealth XI. The team was represented by 25 players including 19 Test cricketers. Benaud, Bland, Borde, Cowdrey, Craig, Graveney, Gifford, Gupte, Hanif, Lindwall, McDonald, McLean, Meckiff, Ramadhin, Subba-Row …some of the biggest names. Also a coloured South African cricketer who was playing in England, called Basil D’Oliveira. All were there. And there was Everton Weekes, on the verge of turning 37.
At Bulawayo, the Commonwealth XI played Rhodesia for the second time on the tour.
The main grounds were used for Currie Cup matches. Since the visiting side was multi-racial, their game was moved to Showgrounds, with a bumpy pitch and hastily cut wicket. After all, it was Rhodesia. Gupte, Ramadhin, Kanhai, and Weekes himself, all faced problems on the tour. Waiters refused to serve drinks, barbers refused to cut their hair…
At a party the night before the match, Weekes met a well-meaning supporter. “I hope we’ll see a first class hundred from you tomorrow,” he said.
Weekes replied: “If you give me a second-class ground to play on, then you’ll get a second-class innings.”
The next day, with his score on three, he hit the ball straight into the air.
Everton Weekes was not only a great batsman. For all his self-effacing outlook towards life, he knew his worth. And the worth of his people.
He passed away at his home in Christ Church, Barbados, on 1 July 2020, five short of a hundred in life.