Obituaries 2016

Ian Pieris (March 14, 1933 - January 1, 2016)Former president of Sri Lanka Cricket and a first-class cricketer, Ian Pieris passed away at the age of 82 after prolonged illness. Pieris, a right-handed batsman, played 44 first-class matches in which he scored 917 runs with one half-century. He had served two terms as president of SLC. During his first term, which started in 1989, he had several run-ins with the board's executive committee and he served as president for only four months. His second term at the helm of SLC affairs started in 1990 and lasted for a year.

Mathew Hobden (March 27, 1993 - January 2, 2016)Mathew Hobden, the Sussex pacer, passed away at the age of 22. Police Scotland, which is investigating the death of the cricketer, found his body in Forres near Inverness. According to reports, the pacer fell off a roof while celebrating New Year with his friends in Scotland. He played 18 first-class games, three List A games and appeared in one Twenty20 game for the club.

Tom Allin (November 27, 1987 - January 4, 2016)Tom Allin, a fast bowler who represented Warwickshire in one first-class game and one List-A match died at the age of 28. Paramedics found his body by the Torridge Bridge in North Devon. The Police later found suicide notes written by Allin to his family and friends. The senior coroner for Exeter and Greater Devon, Dr. Elizabeth Earland, following an inquest concluded that it was suicide.

Jack Bannister (August 23, 1930 - January 23, 2016)Jack Bannister, former Warwickshire player and cricket commentator with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), passed away aged 85. As a fast bowler for Warwickshire, Bannister had played 374 first-class matches and bagged 1198 wickets during his career which spanned from 1950 to 1968. He was also instrumental in the foundation of the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA). "It's a really sad day. He was a true friend. He was a wonderful friend of Richie Benaud too, they were always in correspondence with each other. He was one of the most knowledgable blokes I have ever met in cricket, a wonderful man, a great golf partner and we'll miss him very much," David Lloyd, commentator and former England player, told Press Association Sport.

Israr Ali (May 1, 1927 - February 1, 2016)Israr Ali, the former Pakistan all-rounder who was the country's oldest living cricketer, passed away at the age of 88 due to pneumonia. Ali, a left-handed batsman and a left-arm medium pacer, played four Tests for Pakistan between 1952 and 1959. He picked up six wickets at an average of 27.50 while scoring 33 runs. In 40 first-class appearances, Ali bagged 114 wickets at an average of 22.63 including an innings best haul of 9 for 58. He scored 1130 first-class runs, including six half-centuries.

Andy Ganteaume (January 22, 1921 - February 17, 2016)Andy Ganteaume, the former wicketkeeper-batsman who represented West Indies in a solitary Test, passed away aged 95. Ganteaume was the oldest living West Indies cricketer and the second-oldest cricketer in the world behind South African Lindsay Tuckett. The Trinidad and Tobago wicketkeeper-batsman scored 112 on his debut, but never represented the West Indies again, becoming the only batsman to have an average in excess of 100. He appeared in 50 games first-class games over 23 seasons and scored 2785 runs, including five tons.

BK Garudachar (January 13, 1917 - February 26, 2016)Having celebrated his 99th birthday on January 13 this year, BK Garudachar, one of Karnataka cricket's pillars, passed away a little past midnight on February 26. Garudachar was suffering from age-related health issues since July 2015. In a career spanning 15 seasons, the Chikkmagaluru-born Garudachar made 27 first-class appearances which yielded 1,125 runs at 29.63 and claimed 100 wickets. He played first class cricket for Mysore, United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) and Bombay.

Martin Crowe (September 22, 1962 - March 3, 2016)The batting legend, who rewrote the New Zealand record books during a 13-year Test career, passed away at the age of 53 after a long battle with cancer. In an international career from 1982-95, including four years as captain, he had a Test average of 45.36 in 77 matches and held a slew of New Zealand batting records when he retired, including most Test runs (5,444), highest Test score (299), most 50s (35) and most hundreds (17) - the last of which still stands. He was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in March 2015 during the Cricket World Cup co-hosted by New Zealand. While recognised for his achievements as a batsman, Crowe's major impact on the game arguably came after he retired in 1995 and laid the foundation for cricket's Twenty20 revolution.

David Green (November 10, 1939 - March 19, 2016)David Green, a first-class cricketer who represented Gloucestershire and Lancashire, passed away at the age of 76 due to respiratory problems. An entertaining character, both on and off the field, Green played 266 first-class matches in which he scored 13381 runs, including 14 hundreds and 78 fifties, and also picked up 116 wickets. In 65 List-A appearances, Green scored 1706 runs with one hundred and nine fifties, while he also took 48 wickets. Green was also the author of the book 'A Handful of Confetti' - partly an autobiography which chronicled his cricket and rugby days, along with several anecdotes and analysis.

Ian Robinson (March 11, 1947 - April 3, 2016)Ian Robinson, the former Zimbabwe umpire, who officiated in 28 Tests and 90 ODIs, died at the age of 69 after battling lung cancer. Robinson's first international game as umpire was the Pakistan vs West Indies game in the 1992 World Cup. His stood in his first Test in the same year - the one-off Test between Zimbabwe and India in October. Robinson also served as a board member of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union for 14 years. He was also Zimbabwe Cricket's international cricket manager. Robinson, part of the first international panel of umpires appointed in 1994, retired from top-level umpiring in 2008.

Ranjan Baindoor (January 28, 1950 - April 4, 2016)Ranjan Baindoor, former Mumbai Ranji Trophy player, passed away at his residence in Mumbai following a fatal heart attack. The offspinner played for the then Bombay Ranji team from 1974-75 to 1984-85. During this time, he scalped 20 wickets in 16 games at 37.20 with a best of 4 for 32. He was also a useful lower-order batsman with a career best of 96 and aggregated 316 runs at an average of 19.75. Baindoor was also the former secretary of Tata Sports Club and served as the chairman of the selection committee for the under-19 team.

Ruth Prideaux (July 12, 1930 - April 7, 2016)Ruth Prideaux, the former England wicketkeeper-batter, who became England Women team's first full-time head coach in 1988, passed away at the age of 85. Prideaux, who played 11 Tests for England between 1957 and 1963, scored 476 runs, including three half-centuries. As coach, she guided England to a title victory in the 1993 World Cup. Having trained as a PE teacher, she was credited for bringing an support staff to assist the women's team, including physios and nutritionists.

Adrian St John (July 16, 1994 - April 10, 2016)Adrian St John, a 22-year-old British cricketer, was shot dead in an attempted robbery in Trinidad. The young cricketer was targeted by two gunmen, who robbed him off his mobile phone and cash before asking him to drive off. However, one of the gunmen shot at the car and killed him, according to The Trinidad & Tobago Guardian Online. St John was captain of the Chris Gayle Academy in London and was in the country to improve his cricket.

Nayeem Qadir Bhat (Passed away on April 12, 2016)Nayeem Qadir Bhat, a budding cricketer, was one of the three people killed in the Handwara firing in Jammu and Kashmir. His death happened when the army open-fired to disperse a mob, according to reports. Bhat, who had captained the J&K team in the National School Championship in 2015, had reportedly stopped to take pictures of the protesters when he was shot. He died aged 19.

Lukhanya Tsiki (June 10, 1993 - April 18, 2016)Lukhanya Tsiki, a 22-year-old South African cricketer, collapsed during an academy training and died as a result of a suspected heart failure. Academy staff members tried to revive him after he fell to the ground and later took him to the Alice Hospital where he passed away. "This is shocking news for the entire South African Cricketing Community. And on behalf of the CSA Family I extend our deepest condolences to his family, his friends and his cricketing colleagues," CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat had said.

Tony Cozier (July 10, 1940 - May 11, 2016)Esteemed commentator and the voice of West Indies cricket, Tony Cozier, passed away aged 75. Cozier had been admitted to Bayview Hospital in Beckles Road in Barbados and had been battling neck and leg infections. He had been in the hospital since May 3. One of cricket's great voices, Cozier is said to have covered almost every cricket series involving the West Indies series since 1962. He has donned many hats during his lifetime, and is one of the most respected cricket writers, broadcasters and historians from the Caribbean.

Prabir Mukherjee (Passed away on May 31, 2016)Prabir Mukherjee, the former chief curator of the Cricket Association Bengal, passed away in Kolkata at the age of 86 after suffering from liver problems. Mukherjee was in charge of the tracks at the Eden Gardens for close to 25 years and last worked there till the third Twenty20 International between India and South Africa in October last year. He served as the manager of the Bengal and West Zone teams as well after starting work with the CAB in 1979. The late curator, who retired as an accounts officer with South Eastern Railway, started working as a curator in the mid-1980s and looked after the pitches at the Eden Gardens, the Jadavpur University Ground in Salt Lake and at the Deshbandhu Park.

Hamza Ali (August 8, 1995 - June 9, 2016)Hamza Ali, Hampshire fast bowler, died at the age of 20. It was reported by Bristol Post that Hamza fell into the River Avon. He made his first-class debut for the club in April earlier this year and went on to play two Hampshire second XI matches apart from featuring in a few trial games for the MCC Young Cricketers. The club's players wore black armbands as a mark of respect in the NatWest T20 match against Surrey on June 9 while the flags at Stapleton Cricket Club were lowered to half-mast.

Donald Carr (December 28, 1926 - June 11, 2016)Donald Carr, the former England and Derbyshire batsman who later became a prominent administrator, passed away at the age of 89. Carr, who represented England in two Tests, scored 76 runs with one half-century and picked up two wickets. In first-class cricket, he amassed 19257 runs in 446 matches between 1945 and 1968 with 24 hundreds and 100 fifties, while he also picked up 328 wickets. The Wisden Cricket of the Year in 1960, Carr served as the assistant secretary of MCC from 1962 to 1974. In was during his tenure that the controversial exclusion and then inclusion of Basil D'Oliveira for the series against South Africa in 1968 happened.

Kapil Seth (December 30, 1979 - July 2, 2016)Kapil Seth, the former Madhya Pradesh cricket, dies aged 36. He was suffering from Hepatitis B, according to the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association. Seth, who played only one first-class game and one List-A game for MP, scored 125 on debut in the Ranji Trophy match against Vidarbha in November 2000, batting at No. 10. He didn't bat in his lone List-A appearance, which was also against Vidarbha, but took one wicket for 27 runs.

Javed Akhtar (November 21, 1940 - July 8, 2016)Javed Akhtar, the former Pakistan cricketer and umpire, passed away at the age of 75. Akhtar, an offspinner born in Delhi in November 1940, went on to play just one Test match, against England at Headingley in 1962. He went wicket-less in the game and did not feature in an international fixture again. Akhtar, however, picked up 187 wickets and 835 runs in 51 first-class matches he played between 1959-60 and 1975-76. Akhtar returned to the cricket field as an umpire and officiated in 18 Tests and 40 One-Day Internationals.

Jennifer Jacobs (March 8, 1956 - July 20, 2016)Jen Jacobs, the former Australia women's team all-rounder, passed away at the age of 60. Jacobs, who represented Australia in seven Tests, was a middle-order batter who scored 136 runs while her off-spin yielded her eight Test wickets. In the 13 ODIs that she played, Jacobs scored 235 runs while picking up three wickets. "On behalf of Cricket Australia, I extend our deepest sympathies to her family, friends and former team-mates at this difficult time. She will be sadly missed and will forever be remembered as one of the elite few to have played for her country in Test cricket," CA chief executive James Sutherland had said.

Hanif Mohammad (December 21, 1934 - August 11, 2016)Legendary batsman Hanif Mohammad passed away, aged 81, succumbing to respiratory problems arising from his lung cancer. The stylish Pakistan batsman, nicknamed the 'Little Master' much before the sobriquet was awarded to Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar, is famous for playing the longest innings in Test match history - a knock of 337, which remains one of only two triple hundreds scored in the second innings of a Test. Hanif, who was originally diagnosed with cancer in 2013, was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit at a private hospital in Karachi after his condition worsened. He had been on ventilator support for his breathing trouble before his passing on August 11.

Subrata Banerjee (May 3, 1945 - August 19, 2016)Subrata Banerjee, the former international umpire who officiated in 13 ODIs, passed away at the age of 71 in Kolkata. Banerjee officiated in his first international match in November 1983, when India faced West Indies in Baroda. His international career lasted for 15 years, with the match between India and Kenya in Gwalior in May 1998 marking his final international appearance. Banerjee officiated in 64 first-class matches in an umpiring career spanning 39 years.

Len Maddocks (May 24, 1926 - September 1, 2016)Len Maddocks, Australia's oldest former Test cricketer, died at the age of 90. The wicketkeeper-batsman played seven Tests for Australia between 1954-56, scoring 177 runs and claiming 20 dismissals. Maddocks played 112 first-class matches for Victoria and Tasmania, where he scored more than 4000 runs, scored six centuries and took 277 dismissals. He is best remembered as the player English spinner Jim Laker trapped leg before wicket at Old Trafford in 1956 to complete his record 19-wicket haul. After his playing days, he went into cricket administration as Victoria's delegate to the Australian Cricket Board from 1973-83 and became a national selector. Maddocks was also the Australian team's manager for the World Series Cricket affected Ashes loss in 1977.

Lindsay Tuckett (February 6, 1919 - September 5, 2016)Lindsay Tuckett, the former South African pacer, passed away at the age of 97 in Bloemfontein. Tuckett, who was the oldest living Test cricketer, played nine Tests against England just after World War II from 1947 to 1949. He picked up 19 wickets in his Test career, including two five-wicket hauls. Tuckett finished his first-class career with 225 wickets at a noteworthy average of 23.07.

Kenneth Higgs (January 14, 1937 - September 7, 2016)Ken Higgs, the former England cricketer, passed away aged 79. A right-arm fast bowler, Higgs, played 15 Tests and took 71 wickets in an international career that spanned from 1965 to 1968. Higgs represented Lancashire and Leicerstershire in the County circuit and is one among ten bowlers to take over 1000 first-class wickets for the former.

Max Walker (September 12, 1948 - September 28, 2016)Max Walker, the former Australian Test bowler and commentator, died at the age of 68. After bravely battling cancer post-retirement, Walker died of melanoma. The Tasmanian played 34 Tests and 17 ODIs from 1973-81 during a powerful era of Australian cricket. Walker claimed 138 Test wickets at an average of 27, including six five-wicket hauls. He was often overshadowed by legendary Australian pacemen Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson during that period but showcased his ability to lead the attack when given the opportunity, most memorably when he claimed 8 for 143 in the sixth Test of the 1974-75 Ashes series.

John Gleeson (March 14, 1938 - October 7, 2016)John Gleeson, the former Australian Test spinner, passed away aged 78 in Tamworth, northern New South Wales on Saturday (October 7). Gleeson played 29 Tests for his country from 1967 to 1972 and took 93 wickets at an average of 36.20. In his prime, the 'mystery spinner' befuddled the opposition ranks with his 'bent finger' grip. Gleeson also played 116 first-class matches and took 430 wickets at an average of 24.95.

Trevor Goddard (August 1, 1931 - November 25, 2016)Trevor Goddard, the former South African all-rounder, passed away aged 85 after being in poor health for some time. Goddard played 41 Tests for South Africa in a career spanning more than 15 years. He had scored 2516 runs and picked up 123 wickets. In 179 first-class matches, he hit 26 centuries to score more than 11,000 runs and ended up picking 534 wickets that included 24 five-wicket hauls.

Sid O'Linn (May 5, 1927 - December 11, 2016)Sid O'Linn, the former South Africa opening batsman, passed away at the age of 89 in Randberg. Linn, who played seven Tests for South Africa in a short career - from June 2960 to December 1961 - scored 297 runs at an average of 27, with two half-centuries including a career-best 98. He also featured in 92 first-class matches in which he scored 4525 runs at 35.62 and picked up two wickets.

Imtiaz Ahmed (January 5, 1928 - December 31, 2016)Imtiaz Ahmed, Pakistan's former wicketkeeper-batsman, passed away aged 88 in Lahore. Imtiaz, who would have turned 89 on January 5, was suffering from a chest infection. Imtiaz, who donned his first Test cap against India in Delhi in 1952, played 41 Tests for his country, notching up 2,079 runs and effecting 93 dismissals. Incidentally, his Test debut also turned out to be Pakistan's first ever Test. He played 180 first-class matches, aggregating 10391 runs with 404 dismissals to his name. He retired from first-class cricket at the end of 1972-73 season.