Sang Hue hailed as 'gentle giant' at funeral

Remembered as having an immense knowledge about the laws of cricket, as well as being a "gentle giant" of the profession, former West Indies umpire Douglas Sang Hue was immortalised in tribute during a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Methodist Church, Port Royal on Saturday.

"Sang Hue possessed an abundance of knowledge on the rules and laws of the game, so much so that whenever he made a decision, it was respected," said former president of the Jamaica Cricket Umpire Association (JCUA) Johnny Gayle, who gave the eulogy at the service, which was attended by several regional and national cricket personalities.

"His work was so admired that his experiences even led to the change of a number of cricket laws and rules, including batsmen playing on the front-foot leg-before-wicket rule," he declared.

Gayle's tribute

A former West Indies umpire himself, Gayle, a close friend of Sang Hue, was the first of several individuals who paid tribute to Sang Hue, hailing him as one of the best ever umpires in the game.

"He was fair and balanced, irrespective of the team or opposition, and always aimed to deliver justice," said Fritz Harris, secretary of the JCA, who spoke on behalf of West Indies Cricket Board president Dave Cameron and Jamaica Cricket Association president Billy Heaven, who were both absent.

West Indies Cricket Umpires Association President Cecil Fletcher and Vice-president Billy Doctrove also hailed Sang Hue.

"Never boastful or show-off, but quiet and unassuming, Sang Hue was a star in his own right, a dynamo. May his soul rest in peace," Fletcher said.

Doctrove, who read the second lesson, described Sang Hue as a "trailblazer", and, "one who set the stage for other regional umpires like himself".

"He applied the laws as they should, and was a stickler for details," said Doctrove, who recently retired from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires.

Sang Hue, who umpired at the international level in the 1970s and 1980s, and was the first West Indies umpire to officiate at county cricket level in England, died on August 22. He was 82.