R.I.P. Brian Close C.B.E.

Former England, Yorkshire & Somerset Captain has died at the age of 84.

He was the ultimate cricketing hard man. He faced the quick bowlers with only a box and pads as protection.

He is England's youngest debutant at the age of 18.

and I think one of the game's best mentors R.I.P Brian

Fearless, determined to the point of bloody-minded obstinacy, never gave an inch. May he rest in peace.
One lovely story (probably apocryphal, but ...) - He was ambidextrous. This was a help playing golf. He was once asked how he decided whether to play a particular round left or right-handed. 'Simple', he said. 'If I wake up and the wife is lying on her right side I play right-handed; if she's lying on her left side I play left-handed.' 'And if she's lying on her back?' 'I ring the golf club and tell them I'll be an hour late!'

He was recalled to the England side at age 45 to face the West Indies fast bowlers. No helmet, chest pad & a towel for a thigh pad. Fearless in facing them and refused to even rub his chest when the ball hit it. Marvellous man and will be sadly missed.

(14-09-2015 18:21 )SecretAgent Wrote:  He was recalled to the England side at age 45 to face the West Indies fast bowlers. No helmet, chest pad & a towel for a thigh pad. Fearless in facing them and refused to even rub his chest when the ball hit it. Marvellous man and will be sadly missed.

It was said that you could see the manufacturer's name imprinted on his skin where the ball had hit him so hard!

Gutsy, determined, resolute and a classy player.
One of Yorkshire and England's finest.
R.I.P.

He was certainly a maverick.
He believed that a ball could not seriously hurt you because it was only on you for a fraction of a second.
I remember reading BoyCott's auto biography and him mentioning Close fielding at silly mid off. One his spinners bowled a long hop and the batsmen smacked the ball as hard as he could at Close. Close shouted 'catch it' and his bowler was to mortified to move as a result of putting his captain in danger. He ignored Close instructions to catch it and went to check on his health. Close than angrily responded by saying to the bowler 'next time i tell you to catch it you bloody well catch it'
He was as tough as nails but had to be to captain a team with Boycott, Trueman, illingworth in it. I heard a story about how Yorkshire once went a day without getting a wicket and Close was fuming. Boycott was on his own in the dressing room with him and went up to Close and said' if I dropped as many catches as you'
He did not get the chance to finish his sentence. Close picked up the neck one handed and was about to throw a haymaker when Trueman and illingworth jumped on him and saved BoyCott's life. Certainly won't see the likes of him again as captain.