BCB and Sports fraternity mourn the loss of iconic athlete Milton Robert Pydana …to be laid to rest at home
Apr 21, 2025
By Samuel Whyte
Kaieteur Sports- The Sporting Fraternity in Berbice, Guyana, West Indies and further afield are presently mourning the loss of an ironic and versatile sportsman extraordinaire Milton Robert Augustus Pydana.
Pydana died recently in the United States after a period of illness.
He was born on January 27, 1950, at Smithfield, New Amsterdam, Berbice, Guyana, and was a distinguished Guyanese who excelled in a number of sporting disciplines. He showed sporting powers at an early age, excelling at cricket, Athletics and Football among other sports disciplines since at school.
A staunch Anglican, Pydana was an avid churchman. He attended the All-Saints Anglican Church where he served as an altar boy. His educational career saw him attending Vryman’s Erven Primary School, Scots School and Wilson’s High School in New Amsterdam.
Milton Pydana (Getty Images)
Pydana was so brilliant in the many sports disciplines that he participated in; he could have represented Guyana in all. But it was cricket that he excelled in, to such an extent that he went on to represent the West Indies.
A talented wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman, Pydana played first-class cricket for Guyana for 17 seasons.
He first represented Guyana as a teen in 1969 in the Bat Youth Championship in Trinidad and Tobago. He was immediately impressive behind the stumps taking five catches against the Twin Island Republic.
His ascendency to the senior regional first-class level came two years later in 1971 against Barbados at Kensington Oval.
Pydana Began his first division cricket career in 1969 playing for the Mental Hospital in the Davson Cup in Berbice. The following year he made his U-19 debut in Trinidad. He joined the Guyana Police Force and was a vital member of the police team. He also played first-division cricket for Georgetown Cricket Club and the Guyana Defence Force.
He scored his first, first-class century playing for Berbice against Demerara in 1978. During that game, he also took five catches behind the stumps in the second innings, a feat still unmatched in First Class cricket by a Guyanese wicketkeeper.
Regarded as one of the most naturally talented wicketkeepers produced by Guyana.
Pydana was a member of the Guyana team that won the Shell Shield Inter Territorial four-day Cricket competition in 1973, 1975 and 1983. The 1983 team won the double in addition to the Shell Shield it also won the Geddes Grant Championships. His outstanding and consistent performance propelled him to the position of captain of Berbice and the Guyana teams. He was Guyana’s Captain when it won the Geddes Grant Harrison Line Championship in 1985.
He had a prolific year in 1980. The said year he made his ODI debut for the West Indies against Pakistan in Karachi. Pydana also toured with the West Indies cricket team in, 1981, 1983-84. He was the West Indies standby wicketkeeper for the 1983 ICC World Cup in England.
Described as a humble and great son of the soil, Pydana played his last Regional First-Class match for Guyana against the Leeward Islands at the Antigua Recreation ground in the 1988 Red Stripe Cup. Before migrating to the USA, the following year where he continued his cricketing career. He served as an assistant coach and mentored numerous players.
His first-class record showed that he played 85 matches, scoring two centuries. As a wicketkeeper, he took 152 catches and had 36 stumpings.
His limited-over career showed he had 29 dismissals in 24 Regional One-Day games. He played three ODI for the West Indies with two dismissals.
Pydana is the only Guyanese wicketkeeper to have featured for the West Indies in One Day International cricket. He is also the only wicketkeeper to lead Guyana to a Regional One Day Championship which he did in 1985.
Described as majestic, Pydana showed exceptional all-round athletic prowess from an early age. As a sprinter, he participated in the National Track and Field Competiton at age 14. He was described as a talented goalkeeper with quick reflexes and a fearless defensive style since age 16. His wicketkeeping excellence, it was stated, was compliments of his exceptional goalkeeping skills.
He was one of the outstanding cricketers inducted into the Berbice Cricket Board Hall of Fame.
Last year March, Pydana was back home where he attended the reunion of the 1983 Guyana championship team.
Many of his children excelled in sports and became multitalented athletes. Marcia, represented Guyana at basketball while Imogen was a national high jumper who reportedly broke the school high jump record at every level, at the National School Championships.
Pydana is expected to be buried in Guyana. The President, executives and members of the BCB extend their deepest sympathy to the family, friends and associates of the late Milton Robert Augustus Pydana.
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