Dominica: PM Roosevelt Skerrit shares glimpse of official service of late Irving Shillingford

Roseau, Dominica: Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, shared the Official Funeral Service of the Late Irving ‘Boach’ Shillingford on February 10, 2023 (Friday) at St Gerald Cathedral Church.

Shillingford passed away at the age of 78-year-old on January 26, 2023 (Thursday), morning at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital. The close relatives of the former West Indies cricketer shared the news of the demise.

Following the death, many tributes were poured in for former Dominican, Winward Islands, and West Indies Test cricketer Irving Shillingford. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, at that time, expressed grief and deep sadness. He regarded the former cricketer as a true icon who brought joy to the cricket-lovers. Additionally, he pointed out that Shillingford is the only Dominican cricketer who has scored a century in the test match.

Further, PM Roosevelt Skerrit applauded the former cricketer for serving the country and stated that his name would be forever etched in the hearts of each and every Dominican.

“We will continue to celebrate his legacy. On behalf of the people as well as the government of Dominica, I extend heartfelt condolences to his family, along with others who mourn his death,” Prime Minister added.

Shillingford was born in Dublanc, Dominica, on April 18, 1944. He began his official cricket career when he was in his teens. He was later selected for the West Indies cricket team in his 30s in two One Day Internationals (ODIs) and four test matches. He gathered appreciation from the world after he scored a total of 120 in a test match against Pakistan in 1977.

Shillngford has played 88 first-class games; out of the total, 49 of them were the Combined Islands, whom he represented from the inception of the team in 1961 until its dissolution in 1981. He also played first-class cricket for the Windward Islands.