FORMER England all-rounder Trevor Bailey has died after a fire at his home yesterday morning. He was 87.
ECB chairman Giles Clarke led the tributes to Bailey, who earned 61 Tests caps between 1949 and 1959 and played county cricket for Essex for more than 20 years.
He went on to commentate on the flagship cricket show Test Match Special. “Trevor Bailey was not only one of the finest all-round cricketers this country has ever produced, he was also someone who made an enormous contribution to the game as an administrator and as a writer and broadcaster,” said Clarke.
“His loss will be deeply felt by everyone within the cricket community and we send our sympathies to his family and many friends within the game.”
His former TMS colleague, Jonathan Agnew, added on Twitter: “Desperate news. Dogged batsman, aggressive bowler. Intelligent cricketer. Wonderfully concise pundit. Great sense of humour.”
Bailey was found dead by firefighters in the kitchen of his retirement flat in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, at 06.15 h, while his wife, Greta, was still asleep in the bedroom. Firefighters believe she survived because the door was shut.
A spokesman for Essex Fire Service said three fire engines were sent to the retirement complex after heavy smoke was spotted pouring from the couple’s home.
Divisional Officer Bob Wahl, incident commander, said: “Crews did a fantastic job getting into the property quickly and searching through the smoke to find the woman.
“She was in bed with the door shut and so that’s probably what saved her. Firefighters carried her out of the property and she was left in the care of Ambulance Service paramedics.
“Her husband had gone to the kitchen, which is where crews found him,” he added.
“Unfortunately there was nothing we could do. We will now have to wait for the fire investigation results to see how the fire started. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
Bailey is perhaps best remembered for his defiant partnership with Willie Watson at Lord’s in 1953, in which he batted for four-and-a-half hours. In so doing, the all-rounder helped secure a draw which proved pivotal in England reclaiming the Ashes after a 19-year hiatus. (Eurosport)