RIP Sam Guillen

Former West Indies and New Zealand wicket keeper Simpson "Sam" Guillen passed away aged 88 in Christchurch yesterday. Guillen played only 8 tests, his international career being interupted when he married a New Zealander (they met while he was touring NZ for the Windies in 1951) and emigrated from Trinidad to Christchurch. However he did manage to seal New Zealand's first ever test win when he stumped former team-mate Alf Valentine in 1956. He had a 15 year 1st class cricket career, as well as excelling as a boxer, cyclist, footballer and golfer.

I had the privilege of meeting Guillen on a number of occasions (he was the great-uncle of one of my best friends & they're a close-knit family), he was an amazing bloke to discuss cricket with (not to mention whisky, and life in general)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/8380115/NZs-oldest-test-cricketer-Sam-Guillen-dies

Pete - thanks for the post. Sounds like ''Sam'' was a remarkable man. I note from Cricinfo that he played Test cricket alongside such luminaries as The Three Ws, Ramadhin and Valentine, Roy Marshall (so admired at Hampshire by our own Kwinigolfer) and later on your own John Reid. I envy you if you were able to hear his memories of those days.

Sad news for New Zealand and for you personally Pete.

Sam sounds like a real character - and a multi-talented sportsman too.
He picked the right country to emigrate to way back in the early 50s and I'm sure he would have had a wonderful life in NZ.