Steve Camacho

George Stephen Camacho (15 October 1945 – 2 October 2015) was a West Indian international cricketer who played in eleven Test matches from 1968 to 1971 as an opening batsman and occasional leg-spin bowler. He was part of the West Indian Test side for four series: 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969, 1970–71. He played first-class cricket for Guyana from 1965 to 1979. After retiring from playing, Camacho served West Indies cricket in several administrative roles including selector, team manager, and as the secretary/chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board from 1982 to 2000.

Early life Of Portuguese descent, Camacho was born in Georgetown on 15 October 1945. He was educated at St. Stanislaus College. His grandfather, George Learmond, and father, George Camacho both played first-class cricket.

Playing career Camacho made a promising start to his cricket career by scoring 157 for Guyana Colts against the touring Australian side in April 1965. A few days later he made his first-class debut against the same opposition. The following year, he made his maiden first-class century against Trinidad and Tobago on his Shell Shield debut in the inaugural season of the competition.

Following innings of 85 and 35 for the Board President's XI against the MCC in 1968, he was named in the first Test squad for the series with England. On Test debut he made scores of 22 and 43, the latter helped West Indies secure a draw on the final day after following on. He scored his maiden Test fifty in the third Test, however after taking five and 3/4 hours to accumulate 57, his defensive style was criticised with John Woodcock commenting: "Camacho played more like a man in a coma than a West Indian batsman; he was correct but utterly anonymous". In the next Test, Camacho made his Test best of 87 in under three hours and his transformation in approach was praised with Wisden noting: "he played hitherto unrevealed strokes all round the wicket". The match was famous for Garry Sobers declaration which gave England the opportunity to secure a seven-wicket victory, the decisive result in the series. Camacho missed the first Test due to flu, but replaced Carew for the Lord's Test where he shared a 106-run partnership with Fredericks which surpassed the previous best opening stand for the West Indies in England. After a score of 71 in the final Test, Camacho topped the West Indies batting averages for the series. His final tour was to England in 1973: in only the second game, his cheekbone was fractured by a bouncer from Hampshire's Andy Roberts and he left the tour, never to play another Test.

Bespectacled at the crease, Camacho was considered a technically correct and patient opening batsman. His style contrasted with his more aggressive opening partner Roy Fredericks. In 1982, he was appointed as the first executive secretary (latterly entitled chief executive) of the West Indies Cricket Board, a position he held for 18 years. Camacho was the author of a book, Cricket at Bourda: Celebrating the Georgetown Cricket Club.

Camacho died on 2 October 2015, at the age of 69.