He was an outstanding and exciting opening batsman. An orthodox and authentic stroke maker, who virtually played each ball on its merit.
He was the darling of the crowds at the New River School’s ground, during the late 60’s and also featured for the Gingerland team in local cup matches.
His name is Sydney Liburd.
Sadly, during those days, he pointed out, the ‘country versus town’ issue was a real fact and sometimes the cricketers from the country were overlooked for players of lesser caliber, from the town area.
When he finally got a call up for the Nevis team, it was the same year with the Sargeant/Howell debacle in Antigua, when a match was aborted after Howell was controversially sent by an Antiguan umpire.
Then Premier of St.Kitts-Nevis, the late, Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, had to make hasty arrangements to get the Nevisians flown home to safety, after tensions heightened and so, the young Liburd missed his chance that year.
He later played in a practice match versus St.Kitts, in a representative eleven, but was not included in the Nevis team for the Leeward Islands game.
Sometime after that, he migrated to Canada and has been living there ever since, with his Kittitian wife.
Even though he never got the opportunities he deserved, Liburd who passed through Nevis recently, on a short trip ‘home,’ had some solid advice for the youngsters on the island:
‘Make the best of the opportunities you have. Be respectful to the officials and endeavour to do your best,’ he said.
Liburd is set to return to Canada shortly but is adamant, that St.Kitts-Nevis, will always be home.