Former West Indies opening batsman Stuart Williams says he will bow out of the regional game at the end of the 2005 Carib Beer Series, if not before. He joins his Leewards team-mate Ridley Jacobs, in announcing his intention to quit this season, CMC Sports reported.
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He did score a century this week, so he's looking to go out in the best way possible. But it would be impossible to argue that his career has bbeen largely unfulfilled.

Fairwell Williams, nice to see that he's not going to play on just for the sake of it & moving along will open a spot for a younger player. Be a bit of reconstruction work for the Leewards.

EBS is always touting Austin Richards as an opener. Wonder if he's any use?

In reply to BigRab:

For the good of West Indies cricket Stuart should be encourage to stay. His presence adds QUALITY to the regional competition. If our cricket is to improve, not only must the standard of the playing surfaces be excellent, but the participants in our local competitions must be of the highest quality possible.

In reply to ellisstreet: I think you are right! Willy is to LI as Lara is to WI and I think he should be more of a player coach to the youngsters. The LI are short of openers and S. J is not cutting it so far. I like Richards but he has alot of work to do still. Make no mistake about it.............. Willy is still worth alot to LI cricket and to WI cricket thought the Leewards. I hope he is encouraged to stay. I would like to hear EBS, Zik and Tosh take on this!

So long Stuart, you have served West Indies and Leewards cricket well. It is sad indeed that good cricketers like Stuart Williams cannot be motivated to continue to ply their trade right here in the caribbean. As others have said, he added a substantial measure of gravitas to the Leewards team and to the domestic competition. We need a professional league system badly so that First Class cricketers can actually make a good living playing cricket full time in the West Indies. As it is now, once the chances for playing for the senior team are done, the motivation evaporates. Travel safely Stuart, you will be missed badly.

Hey Anguilla I too believe that Williams should have nuff say in LI cricket. I'm not sure how or what will make him stick around for about 2 more year playing but they need to find tht out fast. I suspect money could be an issue, you see the man still playing in England and South Africa and thats real good for him. LI is in serious need of 2 open batsmen, I wonder where and when we gonna find any. Austin Richard I hear is good and I hear bout another one from Anguilla don't know too much bout him. Williams definately can stick around and continue to bat down the oder and hold it up. Joseph is more suited in the middle so he not going to do us any good at the top. We need Williams with all his experience to add stability to this team, work with the younger ones and hopely we can see LI back on top again. As much as people feel his days done I think he proved in the last game that he still got what it takes to put some bat on top bowlers in the caribbean. To Williams I say stay. Iwill try to get in contact with him and say 2 words to him. After all is said and done I must thx you very much Williams, a true friend, a past Uprising Youth football member (lawd knows how much goals me and him done score together) and a living legend in LI cricket.