Allan Rae: 1922-2005
Allan Rae, the former West Indies batsman and cricket administrator best known for his passionate stance against apartheid, has died at the age of 83.
The left-handed Rae, who averaged 46.18 in 15 Tests for the regional side, passed away at a nursing home in his native Jamaica after a prolonged illness.
On and off the field, Rae's contribution to West Indies cricket over the years has been noteworthy. On his maiden Test tour against India in 1948/49, Rae helped himself to two centuries (104 in the 2nd Test and 109 in the 4th Test) and cemented his place alongside the likes of Stollmeyer, Walcott, Weekes and Christiani.
Rae and Stollmeyer still own the best opening average (71.00) in all West Indies Test cricket.
In 80 first-class matches, Rae scored 4,798 runs (avg. 39.65), with 17 centuries.
He ended a relatively short Test career with 4 centuries and 4 half-centuries, including a memorable 106 against England at Lord's in 1950 in the same match that Ramadhin and Valentine bowled the West Indies to its first Test victory over England.
Rae cut short his cricket career to pursue legal studies and later became an influential administrator, serving for more than a decade as president of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA).
He was elected president of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control (WICBC) in 1981 and forged a passionate anti-apartheid stance that led to life bans being imposed on West Indies players who went on rebel tours to South Africa.
In 1983, Rae was instrumental in pushing for retainer contracts for West Indies players to entice players to forego lucrative offers to tour South Africa but his plan ultimately collapsed when Caribbean governments balked at providing funding.
To this day, former West Indies players are still complaining that they have not been paid monies promised by Rae and the then WICBC.
According to JCA chief executive Brian Breese, Rae's passing is a sad blow to the Jamaican and West Indies cricket fraternity. "He had a very dominating presence and he was well-respected for his stance on apartheid," Breese told CaribbeanCricket.com.
Breese remembers Rae playing a key role in the ICC's adoption of the Gleneagles Accord, which included an official ban on sports persons and others who did business with the then apartheid South African regime.
"Allan meant so much to our cricket, not only as player but as a hard-working administrator. He even neglected his legal practice at times because of his dedication to cricket in Jamaica," Breese added.
"He will remain an icon in our cricket."