Elquemedo Tonito Willett (born 1 May 1953) is a former

West Indian A West Indian is a native or inhabitant of the West Indies (the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago). For more than 100 years the words ''West Indian'' specifically described natives of the West Indies, but by 1661 Europeans had begun to use it ...

international

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...

er who played in five Test matches in 1973 and 1974. He made his first-class debut for Leeward Islands in 1970–71 at the age of 17, and played his last match in the 1988–89 season. He took 8 for 73 (his best innings figures) and 3 for 44 for the West Indians against Glamorgan in 1973. During

New Zealand's New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country b ...

tour of the West Indies in 1972, Willett was considered the best of the many left-arm finger-spinners the New Zealanders faced. Willett's nephew Stuart Williams has played many Tests and ODIs for the West Indies. His sons, Tonito and Akito Willett also play first-class cricket. In July 2010, Nevis's primary sporting venue, Grove Park, was renamed Elquemedo Willett Park in his honour. The renaming ceremony was a major event for the island, with several members of the island's administration participating, including the

Premier of Nevis The Premier of Nevis heads the Nevis Island Administration, an autonomous governing body within the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis (), officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is an island countr ...

Joseph Parry Joseph Parry (21 May 1841 – 17 February 1903) was a Welsh composer and musician. Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, he is best known as the composer of " Myfanwy" and the hymn tune "Aberystwyth", on which the African song " Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" ...

. Willett was appointed

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(MBE) in the

2017 New Year Honours The 2017 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours were awarded as part of the New Year celebrati ...

for services to sport.

References

External links

* 1953 births Living people West Indies Test cricketers Combined Islands cricketers Leeward Islands cricketers Nevisian cricketers Members of the Order of the British Empire {{SaintKittsNevis-cricket-bio-stub