Roberts awarded Antigua's second-highest civilian honour

Andy Roberts has won the Grand Cross of the Most Illustrious Order of Merit © Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

Andy Roberts, the former West Indies fast bowler, has won the Grand Cross of the Most Illustrious Order of Merit. The honour, Antigua and Barbuda's second-highest civilian decoration, was conferred during the annual Independence Day parade at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

Roberts, 56, who was the first Antiguan to play Test cricket for the West Indies, took 202 wickets in 47 Tests at 25.61 and 87 wickets in 56 ODIs at 20.35. He was part of the famed quartet of fast bowlers who took West Indies to the top of world cricket in the 1970s and early '80s, the others being Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft. He was also part of the West Indies team that won the 1975 and 1979 World Cups.

Antigua and Barbuda was celebrating its 26th Independence Day anniversary.