Elquemedo Willett made his first-class debut at the age of 17 and his Test debut at 19 and briefly threatened to become a top left-arm spinner. But the last of his five Tests came when he was 21, and the West Indies turned to pace after that. Elquemedo Willett was born on May 1, 1953, in Charlestown, Nevis.
During the 1973–1974 period, he appeared in five Test matches for the West Indies. His first-class debut was made in 1970–71, and he played his last match in 1988–89. When he played for the West Indians against Glamorgan in 1973, he was able to take 8 for 73 (his most impressive inning figures) and 3 for 44. As a left-arm finger-spinner, Willett was considered to be the most talented player on New Zealand’s 1972 West Indies tour.
During the 1972-73 series against Australia, he took two wickets and five in the next two, including his career-high of three for 33 at Port-of-Spain. The performance was enough for him to tour England in 1973, where he claimed 30 wickets but was unable to break into the Test side. Following this, he toured India and Pakistan in 1974–75, taking two wickets each time.
With the advent of the West Indies all-pace attack, he faded into the shadows, but he continued playing for another 14 seasons in an era when selectorial consistency was lacking. He had a very limited impact on the field, but his inclusion on the West Indies side had a profound effect on cricket on the Caribbean’s smaller islands. The Willett nephew, Stuart Williams, has played numerous Tests and one-day internationals for the West Indies. Tonito Willet, and Akito Willett, his sons, also played first-class cricket for the West Indies.
Elquemedo Willett Park was named in his honor at Grove Park, Nevis’s primary sporting venue, in July 2010. Several members of the island’s administration participated in the renaming ceremony, including Nevis’ Premier, Joseph Parry. In the 2017 New Year Honours, Willett was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
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