Former England and Worcestershire cricketer Graham Dilley dies

Oct 5 2011

Former England fast bowler and Ashes-winner Graham Dilley has died at the age of 52 after a short illness.

Dilley, who played in 41 Tests and took 138 wickets, will be remembered forever for the part his tail-end batting played in Ian Botham's heroics in the famous Ashes Test at Headingley in 1981.

In a 10-year international career, Dilley - initially of Kent and then Worcestershire - helped England win the urn in that astounding 1981 series, and retain it Down Under in 1986-87.

Worcestershire chief executive David Leatherdale, who played alongside Dilley for the county, said the death of his former team-mate was "a sad loss".

"It's come very much as a shock to the club and to a lot of individuals at the club," Leatherdale said on Sky Sports News.

"Graham was a major part of the success the club had in the late 1980s.

"We only really found out he was ill to the level he has been two or three days ago, so it's come as a major shock."

Leatherdale added: "There are fond memories personally and from the club as well.

"He will be a sad loss to the club."

Dilley scored 56 as he helped Botham put on 117 runs for the eighth wicket at Headingley in 1981, after England had followed on in an apparently impossible position. They went on to win the match by 18 runs on the back of Botham's 149 not out and Bob Willis' eight for 43.

Dilley's former Worcestershire captain Phil Neale remembers the Test bowler as a "great servant" to the club, during a time of high achievement for the county.

Neale, who has gone on to be England's long-serving team manager, points out that - although (Ian) Botham's arrival from Somerset dominated the headlines as Worcestershire's big signing - Dilley's presence was equally important.

"I'm very sad to see him go. He was a great servant to Worcestershire," he said.

"He was a big part of Worcestershire's success in that five-year period he was with the club.

"A lot of attention went to Ian, when he came at the same time, and I don't think a lot of people realised what an impact Graham had."

Neale was particularly struck by Dilley's professionalism on and off the field - a characteristic brought home to him when the strike bowler approached his captain at an early-season chairman's barbecue in 1988 to discuss the key fixtures for the remainder of the summer.

Worcestershire, also a major force at the time in all the limited-overs competitions, went on to win the county championship that year.

"He was playing with injuries, but was always reading the game and working out - helping me - when I might need him to bowl.

"He has this reputation as a laid-back guy. But he had taken the time to try to map it all out - just what you want to see, as a captain, from your major players."

Sir Ian Botham added to tributes by saying: "I've got so many fond memories of him.

"He ran in to bowl in the Caribbean, first ball, and the heel fell off his boot.

"Typical Graham he's only brought one pair with him on an England tour so there was panic there, but he was a fantastic cricketer who had a lot of talent.

"He was plagued with injuries, his neck and knees, which probably stopped him playing a lot more for England, but on his day he was the best.

"I had a lot of great times with him. He had a great sense of humour, he always wanted to be part of the party and join in.