COLWALL are mourning following the death of one of the club’s ‘greatest’ cricketers.
Gary Haynes has passed away at the young age of 61 following a short illness.
Gary started playing for Colwall at the age of 15 and immediately became a first team cricketer, a position which he maintained for over 20 years.
He was undoubtedly one of the ‘finest’ left arm spin
bowlers to grace local and regional cricket.
His mix of orthodox leg spin meant he was the scourge of batsman across the South Midlands and South Wales.
He had the ability to spin the ball prodigiously on even the flattest of wickets and his career culminated in his award as the Three Counties League “Player of the Season” in 1985 when he took 66 wickets at an average of 13.8 runs which was a league record at that time.
Things could have been even better for Haynes but unfortunately he suffered a motorcycle accident in his late teens which left him unable to fulfill a contract with Worcestershire CCC.
Haynes played on a regular basis for the Three Counties League in many representative games.
His former Colwall Captain Adrian Berry said: “Gary was the best bowler I played cricket with and that includes Ricardo Ellcock (picked for England!), Cliff Davies and a few others.
“He took wickets against the best players in the strongest league we played in.”
Haynes was also an excellent fielder and a fine hitter of the cricket ball as a late order batsman but above all he loved Colwall and was a fine clubman and friend to everyone as well as having the utmost respect from his opponents.
Gary’s funeral is on November 25. Colwall Cricket club will be having a Memorial Day for Gary when it becomes possible, the club’s thoughts are with Sophie.
