LONDON, Aug 27: Past and present International Cricket Council (ICC) presidents have lined up to pay tribute to former ICC Chairman and West Indies cricketing great Sir Clyde Walcott, who passed away on Saturday, aged 80.

Sir Clyde succeeded Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge as ICC Chairman in 1993 and held the post for four years before he was succeeded by Jagmohan Dalmiya of India when the role became known as president.

Sir Clyde is one of only six men in history to have headed to game's world governing body, along with Lord Cowdrey, Dalmiya, Malcolm Gray, Ehsan Mani and current ICC President Percy Sonn.

On learning of Sir Clyde's passing, Sonn said: “This news has saddened me greatly as cricket has not only lost a legend but also someone who devoted his life to the betterment of our great game.

“I never saw him play but people whose opinions I value have confirmed his greatness to me and his figures, with a Test average of more than 56 runs per innings, mean he will rightly be remembered as a giant on the field.”

Sonn's immediate predecessor Ehsan Mani, was also glowing in his tributes for Sir Clyde.

“He was not only one of the greatest-ever post-War cricketers but also one of the finest people I have ever had the opportunity of working with,” said Mani.

“He took over as ICC Chairman at a critical time in the history of the organization (the ICC's first Chief Executive, David Richards, was appointed in the same year, 1993) and he succeeded in not only keeping it together but also enhancing it.”

Malcolm Gray of Australia preceded Mr Mani as ICC president, from 2000 to 2003, and he, too, paid Sir Clyde a generous tribute.

“Sir Clyde Walcott was a good friend and a great Chairman of the ICC. He was a true gentleman who was highly adept at calming troubled waters,” said Gray.

India's Jagmohan Dalmiya, ICC president from 1997 to 2000, offered heartfelt praise for Sir Clyde.

“Sir Clyde Walcott was a great cricketer and an equally great administrator and he provided tremendous leadership to the ICC,” said Dalmiya.—Agencies