Mike Findlay

Mike Findlay made his Test debut at Lord's in July 1969 as replacement for the experienced Jackie Hendriks. Hendriks had kept wicket on West Indies' previous tours, of Australia and New Zealand in the 1968-69 season, with Windward Islands' Findlay as his understudy. Not to forget, Deryck Murray had already made his Test debut and was second in the pecking order to Hendriks.

But, the story goes, when the great Les Ames saw Findlay keep in an MCC tour game in St Lucia in 1968, he was impressed enough to speak to Jeff Stollmeyer, the former West Indies captain who was then a selector, and recommend Findlay. How much that played a role is difficult to say, but when West Indies went to Australia and New Zealand, there was no Murray, and Findlay was in the mix.

"Jackie was the best wicketkeeper West Indies ever had," Findlay would say in an interview to Sweet Radio SVG in October 2021. Talking of the seniors in the team, Findlay said about Hendriks that during those tours, the senior pro "would sit with you and chat with you and pass tips on to you", which helped his game.

Hendriks was done in 1969. Then it was between Murray and Findlay. People who watched Findlay play on that tour of England in 1969 and subsequently at home against India, New Zealand and Australia talked about being wowed by his glovework - he finished his ten-Test career with 21 dismissals.

He played many years of cricket for Windward Islands - as well as the combined Leeward and Windward Islands teams - and representative West Indian teams against touring teams, and finished with 252 dismissals behind the stumps from 110 first-class games till he stopped at 33 years of age in 1976. Findlay wore many hats after his retirement: Journalist, broadcaster, West Indies selector and also West Indies' team manager.
By Shamya Dasgupta