Players that died young

[Milo]

I was talking with my father at the weekend about Ray Lindwall, who died shortly after finishing his career, and it struck me that the game has lost a number of great performers far too early. Upon further discussion, I started to think that a team of those that were taken before the age of 50 would be a pretty useful side.

For those that did not know, here is a composite side of test players that were taken to the great wicket in the sky (one way or another) far too early.

R.Foster (36) 602 runs @ 46.31
V.Trumper (37) 3163 @ 39.05
F.Worrell (42) 3860 @ 49.49
K Barrington (48) 6806 @ 58.67
D.Hookes (48) 1306 @ 34.37
H.Cronje (32) 3714 @ 36.41, 43 wkts @ 29.95
W.Grout (41) 890 @ 15.08, 163 ct, 24 st
M.Marshall (41) 1810 @ 18.85, 376 @ 20.95
R.Lindwall (44) 1502 @ 21.15, 228 @ 23.03
H.Verity (38) 144 @ 24.38
J.Briggs (40) 118 @ 17.75

12th man: C.Blythe (38) 100 @ 18.63

Quite a team....and certainly something to reflect on.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

And thats before you get to ben Hollioak.

Cheerful thread this Milo, have they taken you off the prozac ??????

[Maranello]

Quite a sombre thread Milo, but some good research here.

Originally Posted by Milo

Quite a team....and certainly something to reflect on.

Indeed. A moment of quiet reflection is called for, me thinks...

[Milo]

It would, I'm afraid, appear that the entire thread has been based on a false statement. The only name I didn't research properly was Lindwall himself. He did in fact live to 74 and not 44.

[Maranello]

Good thing your team had a 12th man.

B. Hollioake can be the drinks carrier...

[Milo]

My new 12th man would be (off the top of my head - as I really don't want to go trawling through the records hoping I find someone who died young enough) would be Sylvester Clarke. He was 44, and died a couple of weeks after Malcolm Marshall. In fact, with Conrad Hunte (who died a day before Clarke), the island of Barbados lost three of its test cricketers in less than a month.

[Zainub]

What a thoughtful thread, stimulating too in one way. Thanks Milo

[Ernest]

Milo, this is a morbid thread, of that there is no doubt, but it is also a very thoughtfull thread, where young players died at a tragic early age, so I would like to make my contrbution "Wilfred Norris Slack", known better as "Wilf slack" died at the age of 34.

Originally Posted by Wisden obituary

Wilf Slack, the Middlesex and England left-handed opener, collapsed and died while batting in Banjul, capital of The Gambia, on January 15, 1989,

.

Here is just a snippet of his profile.

Originally Posted by Wisden

In addition to his three Tests, Slack played twice in one-day internationals, and while he never made the climb from domestic cricket, he tried hard, kept cool and was regarded with warm affection, especially by Middlesex crowds. He held nearly 200 catches – many in the demanding bat-pad position – and was always eager to bowl medium pace, especially in limited-overs matches. He was particularly popular among fellow-cricketers, who spoke feelingly of their respect and sorrow when he died. He was mourned, too, in New Zealand, where he coached in five English winters. Slack was buried in his prized England blazer, bat at his side, and as the funeral cortege drove past Lord’s, the Grace Gates bore a sign reading Farewell Wilf. In 237 first-class games he scored 13,950 runs at 38.96, with 25 centuries, and took 21 wickets at 32.76.

[Zainub]

Gee this has made a bit sad, not that I wasn't already

"A useless life is an early death."

~Johann W. von Goethe

[Andy Mellon]

I'd forgotten about Wilf Slack. Interesting player as I (vaguely) recall.

Another one who died young that I know of as a fan of Essex is former England captain Johnny (JWHT) Douglas. He was an amateur boxing champion at the Olympics in 1908 as well as a stodgy bat and medium pace bowler. In fact, JWHT was the original Geoff Boycott in his batting style - more likely to empty the stands than the bars! He was also Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1915. He scored 24,531 first class runs (962 test runs) and 1,893 first class wickets (45 test wickets). To the Aussies, due to his batting style - he was known as "Johnny Won't Hit Today"

Although he died at the age of 48 (relatively young), the way he died - trying to save his drowning father - is particularly sad.

The Cricinfo profile is quite an interesting read:

http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_data...JWHT_01000334/