In assessing the cricketing career of David Anthony Jerome Holford, his leadership qualities will always stand out.The former Barbados captain and West Indies allrounder died at his home on Monday at the age of 82 following a lengthy illness.A leg-spin bowler and lower middle-order batter, Holford played 24 Test matches between 1966 and 1977. He scored 768 runs including one century and three half-centuries at an average of 22.58 and took 51 wickets (ave: 39.39) with a best haul of five for 23 in a winning cause against India at Kensington Oval in 1976.His century (105 not out), in only his second Test, was a match-saving effort against England at Lord’s in 1966 as he added an unbroken 274 for the sixth wicket with his cousin and captain Garry Sobers (now the Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers), who made an unbeaten 163.Faced with a deficit of 86, West Indies were 95 for five in the second innings when Holford joined Sobers. West Indies declared at 369 for five.Scores were: West Indies 269 and 369-5 declared. England 355 and 197-4.West Indies won the series 3-1.In 99 first-class matches, Holford scored 3821 runs including three centuries (ave: 31.31), took 253 wickets (ave: 31.99) with best figures of eight for 52 and held 83 catches.
