THE AREA’S cricketing community is in mourning following the death of legendary figure Cec Wright.
The Royton-based 92-year-old, who retired from Uppermill Cricket Club at the age of 85, passed away surrounded by his loved ones on Sunday, March 30.
And the news has left many associated with the game reminiscing about his time on the field.
Not least at Crompton Cricket Club, which first brought Cec from Jamaica to England as its professional in 1959.
And it remembered the personality as much as the player.
A spokesperson for Crompton CC said: “Club legend Cec Wright has ended his innings surrounded by his family.
“R.I.P. I’m sure you will shouting, ‘Catch it man,’ in heaven.”
Cec’s association with Crompton CC continued as he played for them as an amateur after it first brought him to Oldham.
That came after a first-class match in his native Caribbean against Barbados, facing the likes of Garfield Sobers, Wes Hall, Collie Smith and Seymour Nurse.
But after meeting his wife, Enid, and having son, Courtney, Oldham became home.
He also represented many clubs in the north west, including Bolton’s Astley Bridge and Walsden in Lancashire.
As that club’s professional from 1969 to 1973, he took an outstanding 538 wickets.
And it said: “A true legend in both the Central Lancashire League and the Saddleworth League, Cec continued to play at a high level until relatively recently.
“He was an extremely popular man, an excellent cricketer and will be missed by everyone that knew him.”
Cec’s retirement in 2019 attracted worldwide attention because of his age, with it making the news in the USA, South Africa and India.
The man himself said about the end of his illustrious career: “I’m going to miss something that I have loved all through my life, and it has taken me a long time to decide this – but I said to myself I don’t want to be falling down on the ground out there.
“I just try my best – people say, ‘Why can’t you do it like you did last year?’ well, as time goes on, you have to be thankful.
“I came here in 1959, then went home and came back, so after a couple of years I thought, ‘Well I will stop here for a little bit and see what it is like,’ then I just kept going.
“The thing, though, I always said I missed most was the sunshine.”
Courtney told of the attention, saying: “The phone didn’t stop asking for interviews which were hard on the phone because dad is hard of hearing.
“I told everybody to turn up at 11am on the day (two hours before the start) and he would be available then.”
For that final game, for Uppermill CC’s Second XI against Springhead’s Second XI, Courtney came out of retirement to play his first game in 12 years for his dad’s farewell.
With the bat, Cec was run out without scoring for a duck but with the ball, he added to his career total of more than 7,000 wickets with one final dismissal as he finished with one for 25 from seven overs.
A spokesperson for Uppermill CC said: “It is with much sadness that we have to report that former professional and player, Cec Wright, passed away earlier today.
“Our thoughts are with his family.”
Astley Bridge CC added: “The word legend is overused, but it truly applied to Cec.
“He will be missed, not just by Astley Bridge supporters but by the whole cricket community in Bolton and beyond.”