Tector trio’s strong links with Wexford

ATRIO of brothers who captained Ireland cricket teams at various levels during the year boast very strong Wexford connections. Jack (22), Harry (19) and Tim (15) Tector are grandsons of two proud Slaneysiders with very strong sporting pedigrees.

Bill Tector won three caps for Ireland at rugby in 1955, while Tom Dixon played at left corner-forward on the All-Ireland winning Wexford Senior hurling team one year later against Cork.

However, the three boys have taken a different sporting path, as they never played hurling and dropped out of rugby in third year at Sandford Park since they were hooked on cricket.

Jack was nine when his father, Heatley, first brought him to their local YMCA club grounds in Sandymount, and that started a love affair with the sport that he passed on to his two younger brothers.

And given that several of the club’s professionals lodged with the Tectors, the boys got to rub shoulders with some of the game’s leading lights in Ireland when they were growing up.

Jack and Harry both captained Ireland at Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 levels, and both also led the Wolves, the Ireland ‘A’ team.

Jack was called into the Senior squad last summer and has appeared in non-cap friendlies against Somerset and Sussex.

In a recent inter-pro he lined up for Leinster Lightning against Harry, now with Northern Knights, and both made fifties. Meanwhile, the youngest of the trio, Tim, is aiming to make the Ireland squad for the Under-19 World Cup qualifiers even though he only turned 15 recently.

Many of our older readers will recall the sporting prowess of both of the boys’ grandfathers, Bill Tector and Tom Dixon.

Heatley Tector, son of Bill, married Anita Dixon, daughter of Tom and Mairéad (nee McDonald) of Kyle House, Crossabeg, and now the three brothers are carrying on that proud sporting tradition.