Legendary cricket commentator Joseph “Reds” Perreira is remembering longstanding administrator Lennox John, who died on August 2 in his native St Vincent & the Grenadines.
John served the SVG Cricket Association as a senior administrator for 27 years, including 17 as its president. He also led the Windward Islands Cricket Board for 16 years and was on the West Indies Cricket Board for 24 years.
John was Perreira’s personal friend and colleague for over 40 years. The veteran commentator remembers his comrade as someone true to his duty, never seeking to boast about his accomplishments.
“His work made a great contribution without shouting from the hilltops for Windwards and West Indies Cricket,” Perreira said. “His appointment as the manager of the West Indies Youth team to the ICC World Cup in England proved to be an ideal fit, for Lennox understood how to ground the Under-15 players he managed.
“I remember the way he followed their careers when they returned from the tour … taking great pride in those who went on to play at many levels for the West Indies and celebrating quietly when they entered First Class Cricket at the West Indies level.”
Like “Reds”, John also spent some time in the commentary booth, calling games in his native SVG and elevating the sport through education, which was his first love. Perreira recalls his own time as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) sports director, noting how John’s networking abilities and media experience played a key role in developing cricket at the grassroots level.
“When the Sports Desk was able to track United Insurance to sponsor cricket within the OECS School System, Lennox ensured all of the important publicity was provided to the media and, in collaboration with the Government’s director, comprehensive reports of all the details and results were provided to the manager of United Insurance in Kingstown for a period of 12 years.
“He allowed me to use the facilities of his office to carry out my duties when I was visiting St Vincent & the Grenadines.
“I would like to particularly note my deep appreciation for the assistance he provided in putting together the Michael Findley Wicketkeeping Coaching Clinic sponsored by Shell, which brought together the three best young keepers from the Windward Islands. It provided Windwards Cricket with quality wicketkeepers, of which one was Junior Murray of Grenada, who went on to play for the West Indies and became the first Grenadian to wear West Indies colours.”
Perreira believes that John’s legacy is worthy of lasting recognition: “It is my humble wish that the present Windwards Cricket Board, in collaboration with Cricket West Indies, should arrange a relevant event so that the name of Reverend Lennox John will always be remembered.”
