Brian Luckhurst dies

Brian Luckhurst, the former Kent and England opening batsman, has died from cancer at the age of 66. He had joined the county at 15 and his first class career panned from 1958 to 1976. After retiring, he stayed with Kent, eventually becoming a hugely popular county president. He played 21 tests for England, starting with the tour of Australia in 1970/71 when he averaged over 55 and, opening the innings with Geoff Boycott, helped provide a platform for England’s first Ashes win in 15 years. Thereafter, he was less successful against the new generation of faster bowlers, but in all he still managed four test hundreds. Throughout his career, he remained a fine professional who made the most of his ability and was a role model as a loyal, hard working and knowledgeable cricketer.