| As one of the smaller traditional nations in the | | | | career best 6/77. Boyce had a spectacular match |
| Caribbean, Barbados produced many players for the | | | | with the bat as well, since he also scored 81 runs. His |
| West Indies-the most of any territory in the region on a | | | | effort helped the West Indies to a 158-run victory over |
| per capita basis. One such cricketer was Keith Boyce, | | | | hosts England. |
| and enterprising all-rounder who bowled fast medium | | | | With the bat, KB was able to make some stellar |
| and was an attacking right-handed batsman. Also | | | | contributions to the Caribbean cause. Although he did |
| known as "Stingray", Boyce played for the West Indies | | | | not score a century, he registered four half-centuries, |
| between 1971 and 1976-just before they became the | | | | with a Test-best 95 not out, against Australia at |
| uncontested champions of world cricket. | | | | Adelaide Oval. Interestingly, two of his half-centuries |
| Born in St. Peter, Barbados on October 11, 1943, Boyce | | | | came in that match, as he followed up his 95* in the |
| made his First Class debut for Barbados in the 1964 | | | | first innings with 69 in the second. Although he won the |
| 65 season-when he was 21 years old. However, he | | | | Player-of-the-match award, the all-rounder failed to |
| had to wait a lot longer to wear the maroon cap of | | | | prevent a comprehensive 190-run win by the Aussies. |
| the West Indies. The Barbadian all-rounder made his | | | | From 30 Test innings, Boyce compiled 657 runs at an |
| Test debut in 1971(when he was 27), against India in | | | | average of 24.33. |
| Georgetown, Guyana. In that match, Boyce opened | | | | For the West Indies, Essex and Barbados, KB played |
| the bowling for the West Indies and batted eighth in | | | | 285 First Class matches and was a regular for Essex. |
| the order. Throughout his career, Boyce was a very | | | | He scored 8800 runs at 22.39 and took 852 wickets |
| capable lower-order batsman-he never batted higher | | | | at 25.02. He nearly claimed all ten wickets in an innings |
| than 6th in the order for the West Indies. | | | | on one occasion, taking a career best 9/61 at First |
| KB was far more accomplished with the ball, taking 60 | | | | Class level. "Stingray" had to retire from First Class |
| wickets from 21 Tests at an average of 30.01. Eleven | | | | cricket in 1977 because of a debilitating knee problem. |
| of his Test wickets came in one match-against | | | | Nineteen years later, on his birthday, Boyce collapsed |
| England at the Oval in 1973-where he took 5/70 and a | | | | and died in Barbados. |