Cricket administrator Lance Murray passes away

Lance died peacefully at his home on Sunday morning and will be buried on Friday at 12 noon following a funeral service at the All Saints Anglican Church, Marli Street, Port-of-Spain.

There will be a private interment at the Cinerary, Long Circular Road, St James. He leaves to mourn his wife Pearl nee Bhagan and children Deryck, Karen, Ronald, Clifford, Dawn, Patrice and Solange.

Lance, the father of former West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) vice-captain, Deryck Murray, enjoyed an impressive career as a land surveyor and also made a huge input to developing sport and community service.

Lance was duly recognised for his outstanding contribution to the country, receiving a Public Service Medal of Merit (gold) in 1981 for dedicated service throughout his working career. In 1992 he earned the Chaconia Medal Gold for long and meritorious service in the sphere of Sports administration.

He was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 and was recently honoured by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board at the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations for his contribution to cricket administration.

Lance, a scholarship winner, joined the Lands and Surveys Department as an apprentice and duly qualified as a surveyor. He then spent the next 15 years working for the Government and surveying what became major roadways such as the North Coast and Toco Road.

He eventually reached the position of sub-intendant of Crown Lands and Deputy Director of Lands and Surveys before resigning to go into private practice where he founded Murray and Partners which eventually became Land Survey Consultants Ltd.

Among his numerous accomplishments was working alongside Jang Bahadoosingh and produced a survey of the marsh land in Carenage to create what is now known as Westmoorings.

Together with International Property Development Ltd, he was the founding member/major shareholder and planner of Home Construction Ltd, serving as Managing Director and later as Chairman.

Lance distinguished himself equally in sport and as an avid cricketer and footballer, he made a natural progression into sporting administration upon the completion of his playing career. He helped establish an independent Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control (TTCBC) and was a founding member of the Board and its first vice-president. He later relinquished his position on the TTCBC to avoid a conflict of interest as he was also on the management team of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club.

Lance was also president of the TT Umpires Council and has been a member of several committees that have fostered the game throughout the region.

The ex-national player has been credited with playing an instrumental role in helping institute medical benefits for players

and allowing them free entry to matches in which they were not playing.