**Grayson Cleophas Shillingford **, who was a former West Indian Cricketer died here in Salisbury due to cancer in early hours on Wednesday on 23rd of December, 2009. Shillingford was a former fast bowler who played for the West Indies team for seven tests between 1969 and 1972. He had been receiving treatment in Canada and had just returned a month back to his native place Dominica.
Shillingford, it is known worldwide, was a right arm bowler having his own style of special outward curving run up. Even if he was known as a successor to the legacy of Hall and Griffith, he failed drastically to establish himself in his team side in transition in late 60s and early 70s. Shillingford was picked and selected for the 1969 tour of England even after making his mark as a first class debut previously and taking three wickets in three of his matches.
He also played against the Indian team in 1970-71 and the New Zealand team in 1971-72. However, after a certain period of time, he was drifted out with new reckoning players coming to mark their performances, like Bernard Julien and Keith Boyce. Shillingford later on ended his test match career with 15 wickets at an average of 35.80. He continued playing for the domestic team for the Windward Islands and also for the Combined Islands until 1978-79.
The whole world along with the West Indies team would remember this model cricketer and miss him for his excellence and qualities both on and off the field.