By Samuel Peters
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Umpire Association, James ‘Son Son’ Stevens, said that he is not surprised by the 100 percent pass rate at the recent preliminary examinations for the Leeward Islands Cricket Umpire Association (LICUA).
Talking on the Good Morning Jojo sports show, Stevens stated this is the fourth time he has had a 100 percent pass rate from individuals writing the exams. There were six passes in the exams.
Sisters Hayden Ann Walsh-Palmer and Jo-nelle Walsh, daughters of the late Hayden Walsh Sr who represented the Leeward Islands, performed well with Hayden Ann scoring the highest score of 86 while Jo-nelle was third with 76. The other entrants were Kenisha Simon (84), Joseph Hunte (71), Tassilo Allen (70), and Aheem Marshall (62).
The head of the non-profit organisation also announced that the LICUA will be hosting the West Indies Umpire Convention in Antigua and Barbuda in 2027. To make it a possibility, they are hoping to undertake several fundraisers towards hosting the convention.
Son Son, as he is affectionately known, has been umpiring for over 40 years and recalled some of his memories of past events over the years. When asked who were the top three batsmen he has seen, he mentioned the names of Enoch Lewis, McChesney Simon, and the late Rolston Otto. The best captain he umpired was Dave Joseph and best fielder was Ulysses Lawrence.