IN the death of Winston Anthony Lloyd ‘Tony Cozier’ last Tuesday the world of cricket has lost a legendary writer and commentator that the game had known for the last five decades; and a personal friend of mine whom I always rated as the best in business.

Known as the voice of the Caribbean, Tony’s knowledge of West Indies cricket and its nuances was second to none which indeed earned him a place amongst the best whoever he represented.

An incisive, analytical writer and fearless spokesman on the highs and lows of West Indies cricket, he endured the sensibilities of cricket followers all around the world.

Be it BBC’s Test Match Special commentary team, Sky TV channel, Channel 9 or the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, his voice and comments was that of authority who knew his cricket at the back of his hand.

Son of Jimmy Cozier the pioneer of journalism in the West Indies, he was born and bred Bajan (one who is born and raised in Barbados) and the marked Bajan lilt with which he spoke was music to the ear for everyone who listened to him worldwide.

An island which produced such greats as the three W’s -- Sir Clyde Walcott, Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Everton Weekes -- and also Sir Garfield Sobers, Tony as a white Bajan was as famous as they were.

My association with him goes back to as far as forty years when I first started to know him well while covering the 1975 World Cup in England which the West Indies won.

Once when I asked him why it is that Barbados produces such great men of the game, he jokingly remarked, ‘Qamar, during slavery our island made sure of buying the best and the strongest ones on offer.’

A right-handed batsman and fine wicket-keeper, Tony played for Wanderers Club in his island and also acted as a hockey goalkeeper for Barbados.

Having studied journalism at Carleton University in Ottawa before taking over as a cricket reporter, he became editor of the Barbados Daily News and later of The Nation.

Tony also contributed write-ups on West Indies for daily Dawn during the 1992 World Cup staged in Australia and New Zealand.

I am really privileged to have had the opportunity of sharing commentary and press box with him in not only in his island but also all over the world, and that includes Pakistan as well where he frequently visited.

I am indebted to him for the fact that in my developing years as a cricket reporter he helped me immensely providing me with the assignments of the Caribbean News Agency (CANA), The Nation, Barbados Advocate and Sunday Advocate to go and report from wherever the West Indians went and if he was unable to go. I contributed regularly to his West Indian Annuals.

He became very upset once while covering a Test at the National Stadium in Karachi when he popped out to the commentary box from the press box and found on his return that someone in the press box had stolen his electronic typewriter. I no doubthelped him to use mine throughout that tour.

He introduced me to cricket commentary on radio and TV as a commentator in the West Indian islands.

In 1991, he along with me went to South Africa on Dr Ali Bacher’s invitation to attend a banquet to celebrate the merger of the white and black cricket boards in the apartheid-ridden regime. The two of us were then sent by Ali Bacher to the University of the Witwatersand in Johannesburg to lecture on the game and that was illuminating for those who listened to him about West Indies cricket.

We played also lot of cricket for or against each other in various press and media matches. Once playing for the Cricket Writers’ Club at Colliers Wood near Wimbledon, he asked me to shift to first slip and watch the mystery unfolding through great Indian leg-spinner Bhagwat Chandrashekhar’s wrist as he bowled. Chandrashekhar was playing for us as well as Sarfraz Nawaz. It indeed was a mind-boggling experience.

Once he asked me to go and interview West Indies wicket-keeper David Murray who was begging in the streets of Barbados having lost all his savings on drugs. I got the scoop of the tour. Thanks to him.

A kind, generous and very hospitable man, Tony and his wife Jillian would always invite the touring media men to their beach house at Bathsheba in the east of the island for beach cricket, a swim in the sea and a lunch of flying fish, a speciality of the island.

The MCC gave him the honorary life membership for his services to the game and Barbados named the Kensington Oval press box after him to honour him.

Tony’s death no doubt has left a huge vacuum in a profession that we are, writing and talking about the game.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2016