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Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
International cricket legends visit Ventnor for Lashings match
Former international cricketers came to the Isle of Wight to compete for Lashings XI against Ventnor. Heroes of the professional game, including West Indies quick Courtney Walsh, former England leg spinner Chris Schofield, Ex-Bangladesh Captain Mohammed Ashraful and England quick Martin Bicknell, all visited Steephill to complete a 26 run win. Owais Shah made 60 and James Hildreth made 80 for the visitors, with strike rates of above 100 - Hildreth scoring an impress 15 boundaries including five sixes. Ventnor, in good form, went well initially with Daniel Cox and Dineth Thimodya, top scoring with 75, setting a good foundation - but the home side slipped from 119 to 2 to 137 for six in a matter of 13 balls. Courtney Walsh gets hit for four by Ventnor opener Joshua Carpenter (Image: David Reynolds) Read more: Two Island football teams fail to find first league win of the season Isle of Wight-trained tennis star now ranked a world number one in Australia Legendary England off-spinner John Emburey, the pick of the bowlers for Lashings, took four wickets for 18 runs, and with the last pair in, Ventnor came up 26 runs short. The well-attended match was hosted and MC'd by legendary retired Test Match Special broadcaster Henry Blofeld. The fixture was the first Lashings visit to Steephill since 2016. The Island side beat the 'Harlem Globetrotters of cricket' by five wickets in 2007, with 16-year-old Danny Briggs playing. Briggs now plays for Warwickshire and made his England debut in 2012.
AU Financial Review
14-07-2025
- Sport
- AU Financial Review
West Indies chasing 204 in Jamaica, Carey sidelined
Australia's bid to clean sweep the Frank Worrell Trophy is under threat, after the tourists set West Indies 204 to win the third Test in Jamaica. Australia were bowled out for 121 early on day three, their lowest total against West Indies since Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose were wreaking havoc in 1995. AAP
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
David Lawrence obituary
David 'Syd' Lawrence, the Gloucestershire and England cricketer who has died aged 61, a year after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease, knew only one way to bowl. It was to charge up to the crease and hurl the ball down as fast as he could – whether it was eleven o'clock in the morning or six in the evening after a long day in the field. He became the first English-born black Test cricketer when he made his debut in 1988. For Gloucestershire he united with Courtney Walsh, the great West Indian paceman, who would soon become a friend. They would also enjoy themselves as revellers at the St Paul's carnival in Bristol each year. Together they formed a formidable, contrasting pair of opening bowlers. Walsh was the more calculating cricketer, bowling fast one day and relying on accuracy, cunning and late movement the next. Lawrence just kept racing in with abandon, a spectacular, uplifting sight unless you happened to be the batsman at the other end. Lawrence's boyhood heroes were Michael Holding, whom he watched tormenting England's batsmen at the Oval in 1976, and Viv Richards, who later played a brief, yet critical, part in Lawrence's development as a professional cricketer. Early in his career Lawrence was involved in a few scrapes in Bristol; there was the odd scuffle in a pub alongside the suspicion that some of his mates might be leading him in the wrong direction. Tony Brown, the former Gloucestershire captain, then in charge at Bristol, had the good idea of taking the young Lawrence down to Taunton to meet up with Richards, who was playing for Somerset at the time. 'People are waiting for you to fuck up,' said Richards. 'Don't give them that satisfaction.' The meeting had a huge impact on Lawrence and he would never forget it. It certainly hardened his resolve to make the most of his ability to bowl fast. Soon he was offering an obvious threat to batsmen on the county circuit, and it may not be a coincidence that he often bowled very well against Somerset. He was desperate to impress his hero. In fact he dismissed Richards several times, including in the Antiguan's last Test innings at the Oval in 1991, when Lawrence finished on the winning side with five wickets to his name. By now a substantial Test career was on the horizon, but such ambitions were destroyed in Wellington, New Zealand, the following year when his left knee cap shattered when he was in his delivery stride, the crack echoing all around the ground. He tried agonisingly hard to recover from this injury but he could never bowl fast again. Lawrence was born in Gloucester, where his Jamaican parents, Joe and Hilda, had settled; his father was a welder, while his mother worked as a nurse. He moved to Bristol when he joined the playing staff of Gloucestershire in 1981 and was given the nickname 'Syd' – after the band leader of that name – by the future England opening batsman Chris Broad, after a chaotic fielding practice with the second team. The coach, Graham Wiltshire, was hitting catches and calling out the name of the chosen fielder. When shouting 'David' three youngsters collided under the ball at the same time, so some alternative names had to be found. In 1985 Lawrence was voted the Cricket Writers' Young Cricketer of the Year, thereby joining a list that contains most of England's greatest players. By now his pace was raising eyebrows in county dressing rooms as well as in press boxes. Having completed a satisfactory Test debut against Sri Lanka in 1988, he was picked for the winter tour of India, which never took place because of the South African connections of captain Graham Gooch; so he had to wait another three years to resume his international career. He would end up representing England in five Tests and a single one-day international, and finished with a haul of 515 first-class wickets. There would have been many more but for that cruel injury in Wellington. Prematurely forced into retirement, he overcame the angst of being robbed of a career as a leading sportsman by revealing an entrepreneurial streak, which culminated in him owning and running a nightclub, Dojo, for 25 years in Bristol. By all accounts he was a hands-on boss, on the door, behind the bar and, if necessary, cleaning the toilets. He also discovered a passion for bodybuilding – as an amateur – winning several prizes. In 2022 he was appointed president of Gloucestershire CCC and fulfilled the role with gusto. Neil Priscott, chief executive of the club, observed that 'Syd pushed us to reach out to communities far and wide'. Once diagnosed with MND, he was determined to raise awareness of the condition, including through the writing of an autobiography, In Syd's Voice, with the assistance of Dean Wilson, the former Daily Mirror cricket correspondent, which Lawrence was desperate to finish in time. It was published a few days before his death. Wilson spoke of 'a warm, big-hearted, inspirational, generous guy', a description that tallied with the memories of just about every cricketer who played with or against him. Earlier this month, he was appointed MBE. He is survived by his wife, Gaynor, and son, Buster. David Valentine Lawrence, cricketer, born 28 January 1964; died 21 June 2025
Glasgow Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
‘Syd' Lawrence: England trailblazer who rocked and rumbled for Gloucestershire
Racially abused by a team-mate as a teenager, Lawrence had the last laugh by, in his own words, 'rocking and rumbling' for Gloucestershire and becoming the first British-born black man to play for England before being cut down in his prime. Lawrence refused to feel sorry for himself and that much was evident when he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year, raising money and spreading awareness of the condition which robbed him of his voice and ability to walk before his death, aged 61. Lawrence, second right, and Courtney Walsh, right, formed a fearsome new-ball partnership for Gloucestershire (PA) Affectionately known as Syd after the British bandleader, Lawrence was born on January 28, 1964, in Gloucester to Jamaican parents, inheriting his love for cricket from his father. He was only 17 when he opened the bowling for Gloucestershire alongside a famous Jamaican in Courtney Walsh although memories of his debut season are soured by a banana being left outside the door of his hotel room by an unnamed peer. 'I just sat in that room thinking: 'I'm a cricketer, what makes me different?'' Lawrence reflected to the Guardian years later. 'Why would somebody want to do that, just because of the colour of my skin?' While he received an unreserved apology from Gloucestershire in 2021, Lawrence initially had to shrug off the incident for fear of being perceived as difficult and he instead channelled any frustration by becoming one of the speediest, if occasionally wayward, operators on the county circuit. A strapping fast bowler, he took 625 wickets in 280 games for Gloucestershire but is just as remembered for his England outings, starting against Sri Lanka in 1988, where he claimed three dismissals. Lawrence collides with Sri Lanka's Ranjith Madurusinghe while celebrating a wicket (PA) Lawrence waited another three years for his next appearance, claiming 14 wickets in three Tests in 1991, the highlight being a five-for against the West Indies to help England seal a series-levelling win at the Oval, with Desmond Haynes and Viv Richards among his haul. He also made his lone ODI appearance in the same summer but Lawrence's career was halted in its tracks the following year as he badly fractured his left kneecap after falling awkwardly when running into bowl on the final day of a Test against New Zealand in Wellington. His England days were immediately over aged 28 following 18 wickets in five Tests but he made a brief county comeback in 1997, playing four first-class games for Gloucestershire before hanging up his boots – 16 years after he first played professionally. Lawrence became a competitive bodybuilder following his retirement and he was also a nightclub owner in Bristol. He was back in the public eye after detailing his racism experiences in his playing days, before in April 2022 he became Gloucestershire's first black president. Gloucestershire Cricket is devastated to learn of the passing of former player and Club President, David 'Syd' Lawrence MBE, aged 61. Everyone at Gloucestershire Cricket would like to send their best wishes to David's family during this terribly sad time. — Gloucestershire Cricket 🏆 (@Gloscricket) June 22, 2025 Following his MND diagnosis and with Lawrence already confined to a custom-made wheelchair, he was presented with the T20 Blast trophy by James Bracey last September in emotionally charged scenes after Gloucestershire ended a nine-year wait for silverware. Lawrence dictated his own recently-released autobiography, while he received an MBE earlier this month in the King's Birthday Honours for his outstanding services to cricket. 'It is an incredibly proud moment,' he said. 'It is not something that I ever thought would sit after my name, but I am absolutely delighted that it will do so for however long I am here and will be a part of my legacy when I am gone.' Lawrence is survived by wife Gaynor and son Buster, an ex-professional rugby union player.
The Herald Scotland
22-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
‘Syd' Lawrence: England trailblazer who rocked and rumbled for Gloucestershire
Lawrence refused to feel sorry for himself and that much was evident when he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year, raising money and spreading awareness of the condition which robbed him of his voice and ability to walk before his death, aged 61. Lawrence, second right, and Courtney Walsh, right, formed a fearsome new-ball partnership for Gloucestershire (PA) Affectionately known as Syd after the British bandleader, Lawrence was born on January 28, 1964, in Gloucester to Jamaican parents, inheriting his love for cricket from his father. He was only 17 when he opened the bowling for Gloucestershire alongside a famous Jamaican in Courtney Walsh although memories of his debut season are soured by a banana being left outside the door of his hotel room by an unnamed peer. 'I just sat in that room thinking: 'I'm a cricketer, what makes me different?'' Lawrence reflected to the Guardian years later. 'Why would somebody want to do that, just because of the colour of my skin?' While he received an unreserved apology from Gloucestershire in 2021, Lawrence initially had to shrug off the incident for fear of being perceived as difficult and he instead channelled any frustration by becoming one of the speediest, if occasionally wayward, operators on the county circuit. A strapping fast bowler, he took 625 wickets in 280 games for Gloucestershire but is just as remembered for his England outings, starting against Sri Lanka in 1988, where he claimed three dismissals. Lawrence collides with Sri Lanka's Ranjith Madurusinghe while celebrating a wicket (PA) Lawrence waited another three years for his next appearance, claiming 14 wickets in three Tests in 1991, the highlight being a five-for against the West Indies to help England seal a series-levelling win at the Oval, with Desmond Haynes and Viv Richards among his haul. He also made his lone ODI appearance in the same summer but Lawrence's career was halted in its tracks the following year as he badly fractured his left kneecap after falling awkwardly when running into bowl on the final day of a Test against New Zealand in Wellington. His England days were immediately over aged 28 following 18 wickets in five Tests but he made a brief county comeback in 1997, playing four first-class games for Gloucestershire before hanging up his boots – 16 years after he first played professionally. Lawrence became a competitive bodybuilder following his retirement and he was also a nightclub owner in Bristol. He was back in the public eye after detailing his racism experiences in his playing days, before in April 2022 he became Gloucestershire's first black president. Gloucestershire Cricket is devastated to learn of the passing of former player and Club President, David 'Syd' Lawrence MBE, aged 61. Everyone at Gloucestershire Cricket would like to send their best wishes to David's family during this terribly sad time. — Gloucestershire Cricket 🏆 (@Gloscricket) June 22, 2025 Following his MND diagnosis and with Lawrence already confined to a custom-made wheelchair, he was presented with the T20 Blast trophy by James Bracey last September in emotionally charged scenes after Gloucestershire ended a nine-year wait for silverware. Lawrence dictated his own recently-released autobiography, while he received an MBE earlier this month in the King's Birthday Honours for his outstanding services to cricket. 'It is an incredibly proud moment,' he said. 'It is not something that I ever thought would sit after my name, but I am absolutely delighted that it will do so for however long I am here and will be a part of my legacy when I am gone.' Lawrence is survived by wife Gaynor and son Buster, an ex-professional rugby union player.
