ONE?of Barbados’ most famous cricketing families has been plunged into mourning.
Elvis Reifer, one of five Reifers who have played first-class cricket for this country, passed away yesterday morning in his sleep. He was 50 years old.
A former St George Secondary student, Reifer was a long-standing member of the revered Pickwick Club, and a key member of that team in the 1980, as part of a new-ball attack with another left-arm fast bowler Odwin Gilkes.
He made his debut at the age of 24 in the opening match of the 1986 season against Ranjie Nanan’s Trinidad and Tobago side, scoring an unbeaten 51 batting at No.10 off an attack led by Tony Gray. He and another rookie, 20-year-old Tyrone Greenidge, were selected after injuries sidelined Wayne Daniel and Roddy Estwick.
However, Reifer delivered 12 wicketless overs and was dropped for the next match against Lance John’s Windward Islands side.
Reifer is the third member of the 1986 attack that played against Trinidad  to have passed on, following Greenidge and Test great Malcolm Marshall.
The flamboyant Reifer was signed as a 23-year-old by Hampshire in 1984 despite having no first-class appearances to his name. He had limited success with the English county capturing 41 Championship wickets at a cost of 41.53 each and was not retained.
Yesterday, Barbados Cricket Association (BCA)?president Joel Garner, who led Barbados for the first time in 1986 when Reifer made his debut, paid tribute to him, hailing him as a hard-working cricketer, who was a fierce competitor.
Philo Wallace, the swashbuckling former Spartan, Barbados and West Indies opening batsman, told a local radio station that Reifer’s death was a big loss to Pickwick Club and the entire local cricketing fraternity.
Elvis had rich cricketing blood in his veins. His brothers Leslie and George played at the national youth level and in the Shell Shield, while his nephew Floyd had the honour of playing Test cricket and captaining the West Indies.
One of his sons, Raymon, plays at the first-class level for Combined Campuses and Colleges while another, Chad, is a member of the Wanderers team.
Elvis leaves to mourn his wife, well known radio and television personality Carol Roberts. (MK)Â Â
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