Spartan stalwart George Linton passes on

GEORGE LINTON, one of Barbados’ most popular cricketers and coaches, died early today at his Friendship, St Michael home, his brother Louis told THE NATION.
Linton, 57, a long-standing coach at the National Sports Council, played 26 first-class matches as a leg-spinning all-rounder.
He scored 734 runs at an average of 25.31 with a highest score of 83 and captured 78 wickets at 29.75 apiece after making his first-class debut in 1982 against the Windward Islands.
Linton, who also represented the West Indies Under-19 team in 1976 against Young England, took five wickets in an innings on five occasions, including career-best figures of five for 35 against Guyana at Kensington Oval in 1983.
A stalwart of local club, Spartan, Linton served as a coach for the Barbados Under-15 team as well as a selector for the national youth teams after his cricket career ended. He also had a stint as chairman of the senior selection panel before resigning from the post a few years ago. (EZS)