Mr. Hunt, who died on Friday aged 88, was described as a man who "lived for cricket and lived for his country'' by Sen. Maxwell Burgess .

He added: "He was without question one of Bermuda's finest gentlemen. It was his love for life that certainly attracted me to him.

"Cricket is the better for having had Mr. Hunt both as a player and as an administrator.'' Mr. Hunt OBE set batting and bowling records during 12 years of Cup Match cricket and had successful trials for the West Indies Test team in 1933, only to be denied a place in the squad for political reasons.

He was also President of the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control for 18 years, having finished his career as a professional player and coach in Scotland.

Sen. Calvin Smith added: "He certainly should have been knighted for his accomplishments in cricket. And Sen. Kim Swan said: "Bermuda has lost a very dear soldier.'' Senate President Alf Oughton , secretary of the BCBC for seven years in the 1960s, added: "I used to love to sit and listen to him talk.

"It was a very, very good time in terms of cricket in Bermuda. In 1962, the first Bermuda team toured England and Champ put Bermuda on the charts as far as the ICC tournament is concerned.''