We’re saddened to share that Montserrat’s greatest cricketer, Charles Henry “Jim” Allen, has passed away at the age of 73. According to Montserrat Spotlight, Allen played his “final innings” peacefully on July 2, 2025, bringing to a close an extraordinary career that inspired a generation.
Born on August 15, 1951, in Harris Village, Allen burst onto the scene with Montserrat’s team in 1969. He went on to score over 3,000 first-class runs, including five centuries, and starred for the Leeward Islands from 1972 to 1983. Known for his bold, unorthodox batting stance, he was even rated by some as more exciting than Vivian Richards. His skill and spirit earned him a coveted place in the World Series Cricket competition and an MBE in 1978.
More than just a sportsman, Allen was Montserrat’s trailblazer, the island’s first professional sportsman, playing league cricket in England and driving bulldozers at home. There are renewed calls for the Little Bay sports field to be renamed in his honour.
If you’d like to dive deeper into Jim Allen’s remarkable life, check out Edwin L Martin’s Stranded Batsman, a definitive biography that chronicles his journey both on and off the pitch.
For more on his final innings and enduring legacy, revisit the original tribute on Montserrat Spotlight.
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