Garcia Atkins Banks hero dies at 60

Garcia Atkins, who had the honour of captaining Banks to the coveted Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 title in 1986 in what was a memorable and thrilling finish to the season, has died suddenly at the age of 60.

Atkins, a heavy-set left-hand batsman known for his attacking strokeplay and whose stiff right-arm medium-pace bowling was more than handy, passed away at his home in St Michael, on Monday.

Atkins suffered a massive stroke in early 2002 which led to his being hospitalized for three months, but battled back and remained in high spirits, reminiscent of the way he played the game.

He had spoken with friends and family on the morning of his death, according to his mother Iris Taylor.

“Garcia made his usual telephone calls on Monday morning before my daughter Sandra found him dead in his bed around 4 p.m. He did not complain of feeling unwell,” Taylor told BCAcricket.org.

Former Barbados Under-19 player Richard Holder, who was a long-standing teammate of Atkins’ said: “He always saw himself as a leader and wanted to captain Banks.

“At that time we had a good team. Garcia was a hard-hitting batsman mainly at the top before going to the middle later in his career . . . . On his day he would destroy any kind of bowling.

“He had some bright sparks and as captain he had players around him who knew cricket and could guide him,” Holder said. (BCA Website/EZS)