Umpire Basil Morgan gets Montserrat’s 2nd highest honor
By Sean Devers
The very honorable Basil Morgan
Student Basil Morgan receives award
Kaieteur News – Hailing from the small island of Montserrat where, after centuries of inactivity, the Soufriere Hills Volcano erupted in July 1995 destroying the Capital Plymouth, Basil Morgan, International Cricket Umpire, received his country’s highest Honor for his contribution to cricket in Montserrat, the Leeward Islands and the West Indies.
Although for most people globally, 2020 was a year they would like to forget because of the hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But for the beloved 73-year-old Morgan, who has a Guyanese wife, despite the trials and tribulations of 2020, it was a year he would want to remember for as long as he lived for in November 2020 he received the Order of Excellence from the Montserrat government.
The former statistician received an award earlier in the year from the world statistician body for his outstanding achievement of over 50 years as a statistician, while in October he was recognized by the Leewards Islands Cricket Association (LICA) for 60 years of contributing to Montserrat and Cricket Leewards.
“Last year was not a bad one for me personally. I received the Country’s second highest honor, a trophy from LICA for my contribution to cricket in the Leewards, a 50-year trophy for participating as a member of the world body of cricket statisticians, ”said the Hon. Basil Elliott Walton Morgan.
At the LICA Honoring Morgan Ceremony, West Indies Cricket (CWI) President Ricky Skerritt said Morgan was one of the regional referees to follow, while LICA President Enoch Lewis said Morgan’s extensive contribution to Montserrat, Leeward Island and West Indies cricket over the past sixty years represents total commitment, dedication and loyalty to the sport of cricket.
Morgan officiated in 16 ODIs between 1996 and 2001, was Umpire Television in four Test matches and stood in 90 First Class matches and was the only person from the small Island to officiate at an International cricket match.
Born on May 13, 1947 in the British Overseas Territory in Montserrat, to William and Louise Morgan and while he played the game and was good enough to make his first appearance as a player in 1965 for Montserrat as an all-rounder in the face of some the great cricketers. in the region such as Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Andy Roberts, Veron Edwards, Sir Enoch Lewis among others, his claim to fame as a Referee and cricket statistician.
“At the age of twelve I began to appreciate the game of cricket and spent four years as a local league scorer, as well as a Primary School Cricket Referee.
My involvement with cricket starts from being a scorer. I was also a player, Groundsman, selector, secretary of local cricket statistician, games referee, manager. I also did a little coaching and I’m really thankful to God for giving me health and energy to do all these things, ”said Morgan who officially retired as a local Cricket Referee after serving 52 years in the sport between 1960 and 2012.
On his retirement Morgan was honored by the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport at the Cultural Center.
“It has been a pleasure to serve my country and I loved seeing the youngsters grasp and reach positive goals where the game is concerned. I can only hope that the current participants maintain the standards of Cricket and continue to pursue the game as a lifetime career, making themselves and Montserrat proud. I am satisfied that the game, for its part, has developed particularly at Montserrat over the last 50 years, ”Morgan noted.
Morgan thanked former regional referee Theodore Bramble, Frank Edwards, Pat Whyte, Lloyd Barker, Steve Bucknor and Eddy Nicholas. He also thanked MCA, LICA, CWI, the West Indies Players Association, ICC and WCUA’s former head Chetram Singh for supporting and encouraging him throughout his career.
I (this writer) remembered that whenever I was doing Radio Commentary in Antigua, St Kitts, Nevis, St Martin or Anguilla I would say hello to Umpire Morgan and he would send me information about the Leewards players and team.