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Stephen Alleyne dies at 47

Stephen Alleyne, the former president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), died of a heart attack on the morning of October 15

Cricinfo staff
16-Oct-2007
Stephen Alleyne, the former president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), died of a heart attack on the morning of October 15. Alleyne, 47, headed the Barbados Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2007 World Cup and was also a former director of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
He was the driving force behind Barbados getting to host Super Eight matches and final of the World Cup. He was also in charge of the redevelopment of the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. The ground did not host any international games in 2006, due to the renovation work ahead of the World Cup.
Alleyne was a member of the BCA's Board of Management from 1992 to 1993. He then served as the Third Vice-President from 1994 to 1997, and later the First Vice-President in 1999. He took over as president after the death of Conrad Hunte, the former West Indies batsman, in December 1999. He was then elected President in 2000.
Ali Bacher, the former president of the South African cricket board, said that Alleyne's contributions to the game in the West Indies would be missed. The two first met when Bacher arrived in Barbados for Hunte's funeral and he stated that he was impressed with his abilities as an administrator.
"I always told him he had the attributes to be president of the West Indies Cricket Board," Bacher told the Nation, a Barbados-based daily. "There were two main reasons. The first was he had a great respect for the legends who helped build the game in the West Indies. He had a desire to keep the legends as part of the game. The second was that, as an actuary, he understood the commercial world very well and looked at the commercial side of West Indies cricket and how it could work.
"When I heard of his death I was absolutely shattered. He was in the prime of his life. It's a national tragedy, he was such a gifted person and wonderful man."
Joel Garner, the former West Indies fast bowler and current president of the BCA, acknowledged Alleyne's contribution to cricket in the West Indies. "Stephen possessed a brilliant mind, a quiet confidence and he was always willing to give advice freely. He was thoughtful, meticulous and would be thoroughly analytical before he offered his counsel."