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The death of Sylvester Clarke came as a shock to almost everyone yesterday, but two of his closest friends had sensed that the former Barbados and West Indies fast bowler was not in the best of health.

Gregory Armstrong and Collis King, team-mates of Clarke on West Indies rebel teams that toured South Africa in the early 1980s, were planning to advise Clarke to seek medical attention.

About four days ago, Collis came to me and said to me: ‘I don’t like how Sylvester is looking,’ Armstrong said.

I asked what was wrong and he said: ‘He had a few lumps around his leg and he said he was going to try and get him to the doctor.’

Armstrong suggested to King that they should approach Minister of Sports Rudolph Greenidge to get assistance in covering Clarke’s medical costs.

I’ve got to tell you that I’m really hurt because I never got the opportunity to do it, Armstrong said.

In paying tribute to Clarke, Armstrong described him as a ‘very humble person and an extremely great bowler’.

He was awesome, very effective. I saw him in South Africa demolish some of the great South African batsmen. It was too bad that a lot of Barbadians and West Indians did not see him at his best.

© The Barbaos Nation