Pascall Roberts dies at 73

Pascall Roberts, the former Trinidad bowler and selector, died on June 20 at the age of 73. Roberts played 67 first-class matches and represented Paragon Cricket Club in the 1960s and 1970s, and after his retirement worked towards the development of Trinidad cricket. He was part of the West Indies squad that toured England in 1969, but never got his Test cap.

Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) president Azim Bassarath said Roberts was an icon of T&T cricket. "Pascall Roberts contributed much to the development of the club and helped establish Trinidad and Tobago as a regional powerhouse. The cricket fraternity has lost one of its loyal servants."

Dinanath Ramnarine, president of the West Indies Players' Association and a former T&T player, praised Roberts' contributions as a national selector. "Roberts always remained involved in the game in Trinidad and Tobago and would always have good, sage advice for young men like myself who wanted to dedicate our lives to cricket the way he did."

Roberts started his career as a left-arm seam bowler and took 5 for 79 on his first-class debut, against Barbados. He later changed to left-arm spin, and formed a partnership with offspinner Jack Noreiga. He took 211 wickets in 67 first-class matches in a career spanning almost 20 years.

Ronald Faria, who played alongside Roberts in the Paragon team, said he was a hard-working cricketer. "I played with Pascall at Paragon for close to 15 years and he could always be relied upon to give 100%," Faria said. "He formed a deadly spin attack in tandem with Jack Noreiga and helped Paragon win Championship titles three years in a row."