'It will provide a means of recognising the historical contribution of past players, officials and even institutions, in making cricket what it is today, a great sport with a great spirit'

SYDNEY, Australia (CMC)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) named 13 West Indies players yesterday in its Cricket Hall of Fame, which it launched Friday as part of the ICC's centenary year celebrations.

The ICC announced a list of 55 players for induction. The West Indians as they appear on the ICC's list in alphabetical order are Lance Gibbs, Gordon Greenidge, George Headley, Michael Holding, Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd, Malcolm Marshall, Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts, Garfield Sobers, Clyde Walcott, Everton Weekes and Frank Worrell.

greatest achievers

Speaking at the launch of the centenary year celebrations, the ICC's chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat said the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame would provide the chance for the game to recognise its greatest achievers.

"Given a key theme of the ICC's centenary year is celebrating the game's heritage then the foundation of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame is an entirely logical step," Lorgat said.

"It will provide a means of recognising the historical contribution of past players, officials and even institutions, in making cricket what it is today, a great sport with a great spirit," Lorgat added.

Headley, who died at age 74 in 1983, was the first great West Indies player and the Jamaican right-hander is widely regarded as one of the finest batsmen of all time.

He was Wisden's Cricketer of the Year in 1934 and finished his career with an exceptional average of 60.83, the third highest, behind Don Bradman and Graeme Pollock, of any player with a completed career.

Several of the West Indies inductees, including the great Sir Garfield Sobers, had emerged during the 1950s and 60s and combined to superbly lift the profile of West Indies cricket.

Sir Garfield made his Test debut as a 17-year-old against England at Sabina Park in Kingston in 1954 and went on to achieve the most outstanding all-round career in cricket's history. At age 21, he stroked a magnificent world record 365 not out against Pakistan.

Others from that era included Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Clyde Walcott, both deceased, and Sir Everton Weekes, the 3Ws, who were all knighted for their brilliant careers, batting stylist Kanhai and Gibbs, the legendary off-spinner.

The other West Indies inductees all flourished during the most glorious years of West Indies cricket, when the Caribbean rose in the mid 1970s to the top of the ladder in world cricket through the efforts of captain Lloyd and a team of gifted and highly motivated players.

The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame has been formed in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), as part of the ICC's centenary year celebrations.

The ICC said its initial intake of 55 inductees would be supplemented by a select group of inductions each year, starting in 2009, when the newcomers will be announced during the LG ICC Awards ceremony.

The initial inductees, or, in the case of those who have passed away, their relatives, will be presented with a commemorative ICC Cricket Hall of Fame cap at an appropriate stage during the ICC centenary year.