The world of cricket was in mourning yesterday following the death of former Kent and England batsman Colin Cowdrey after a long battle against illness.
Cowdrey died at his home in the early hours of the morning aged 67 just a couple of months after suffering a stroke which prevented him attending celebrations to mark Alec Stewart and Michael Atherton's achievement in joining him among the select band of players to make 100 Test appearances for England.
He was the fourth highest scoring England player in Test history with 7,264 runs from his 114 Tests, averaging 44.06, and scored 22 centuries and played at the age of 42 against the pace of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson at Perth in 1974.
He still holds the Test record for the highest fourth wicket partnership with Peter May of 411 set against Australia in Sydney in 1946-7 and also finished with 107 first class hundreds to his name and 42,719 runs at an average of 44.82.
His son Chris, currently in Pakistan covering England's tour for TalkSport Radio, said: "Obviously the whole family is deeply saddened by the news. It came as a great shock as he was recovering well from a recent stroke."
Current England captain Nasser Hussain claimed: "As well as being one of the most gifted batsmen of his generation, he was also one of the nicest people you could meet in the game and a good friend to the England team - he will be much missed."
Former England opener and coach David Lloyd was also shocked by the news of Cowdrey's death and recalled the time they spent together facing Australia on the 1974-5 Ashes tour.
"We actually roomed together after he came out as a replacement," he said. "I didn't know him much beforehand, but he was a senior figure and befriended me.
"After the tour and throughout my cricket career from then on he has always kept in touch, he has either rung or dropped me a line at every turn - I think that was the hallmark of the man, he was not only a great cricketer but a great gentleman.
"One of my memories of that tour was him coming out to join me at the crease with Lillee and Thomson in full cry, and they were eight-ball overs then.
"At the end of the first over we had a deliberation at mid-wicket which he started with the words `all this is rather fun' - I think I replied `I've been in funnier situations than this'!"
The British Sport Minister Kate Hoey described Cowdrey as "a true ambassador, both for cricket and his country" and said that off the pitch "his honesty, friendship and delightful sense of humour set him apart from others. In short, he was a true gentleman."
Tributes also flooded in from all around the world of cricket; from official bodies such as the International Cricket Council and the England and Wales Cricket Board to some of the game's greats such as Ian Botham and Jeff Thomson.
Former England captain Mike Gatting praised Cowdrey's work as president of the MCC and chairman of the ICC. "It's a very sad day, the man did such a large amount of work for cricket."
