Laurie Williams Dies in Car Crash

Jamaican all-rounder Laurie Williams and his brother, Kevin Jennison, died in a motor vehicle accident on the Portmore Causeway yesterday afternoon, plunging the local cricket fraternity into shock.

According to the police, Williams was driving and reportedly swerved to avoid a pothole in the vicinity of Gordon Cay. He apparently lost control of the vehicle, which ran onto the other side of the dual carriageway, slamming into an oncoming bus. Both men died on the spot.

"We are just devastated. This is a terrible, terrible blow," Brian Breese, CEO of the Jamaica Cricket Association, said.

Reports say Williams, 33, who lived in Bridgeport, and Jennison, 23, a teacher from St Ann, were travelling towards Portmore in a Honda motor car when the accident occurred at about 5:30 pm.

Williams, who was born on December 12, 1968, was given the middle name Rohan by his parents, who admired former West Indies cricket great Rohan Kanhai.

A member of Kensington Cricket Club, Williams, played for Jamaica since 1990 and has been a consistent performer for the country, helping the national team to a number of victories over the years.

He represented Jamaica in the just-concluded Red Stripe Bowl limited overs competition.

Throughout his cricketing career, Williams, an allrounder, was highly regarded for his stylish batting and medium pace swing bowling.

In his 12-year First Class career, Williams scored 2,002 runs, with a highest score of 135 and a batting average of 24.71.

Has taken 170 first class wickets. Williams also played 15 one-day internationals for the West Indies between 1996 and 2001.

* SOURCE: Jamaica Observer.