Farewell to cricket legend Russ
STUART PIKE
TRIBUTES have been paid to a cricket ‘legend’ following his death in East Lancashire Hospice on Saturday, July 11, aged 80.
Russ Cuddihy, of Lodgeside, Clayton-le-Moors, was a former captain, coach and chairman of Accrington Cricket Club, and passed on his love of the sport to school pupils.
A proficient footballer, he also played for the old Accrington Stanley club in the early 1960s.
Accrington CC said they were “saddened” to learn of Russ’s death, which followed an illness of a few months.
In an online tribute, they remembered a bowler turned hard-hitting batsman, who scored over 5,000 runs in the Lancashire League for Accrington and East Lancs, and a strong outfielder. He skippered the Accrington side from 1967-69, and won both the league and the Worsley Cup in his days at Thorneyholme Road. Later, aged 50, when he lived across the road from Great Harwood CC, he made a mini-comeback by ‘filling in’ for their thirds, only to end up working his way into the first team!
Russ, whose career included working for snooker table companies EJ Riley’s and Willie Holt’s, helped run a snooker club in Great Harwood in the 1980s with Moira, his wife of 44 years.
He later set up Elite Cricket, which saw him go into schools all over Lancashire coaching the sport.
Moira, 70, said “adored” cricket, coaching youngsters.
“He brought cricket to the children and spent quite a bit of time up at Great Harwood CC coaching young kids,” she said. “His regret was he never should have played football, and he should have concentrated on cricket.
“Even when he was in the hospice and not able to communicate, his hand was still twisting like he was bowling.”
Towards the end of his life Russ was given nine weeks at home where he was told to hug everybody and not to self-isolate.
Moira said: “He was a wonderful dad and husband. He was always known as having a volatile temper, but that was part of Russ. A big man with a big personality.”
Russ’s daughter Victoria Cuddihy captains and manages Great Harwood’s Ladies and Girls cricket team, and - perhaps inevitably - her dad ended up sharing coaching duties, along with Jack Simmons. He has also inspired Victoria’s son Max Cocken, 10, a promising batsman and he and medium pace bowler for the club’s youth sides.
Victoria said her dad was the family’s “rock”.
“So many people have referred to him as being a legend,” she said. “Even at 80 years old he was coaching Great Harwood Ladies.
“He loved it; all the ladies have been in touch with me and they’ve all expressed how much they loved being in his company, enjoyed his great sense of humour, and how much support and time and experience and knowledge he’s been able to give to us as novice cricketers.
“It’s absolutely lovely to see that Max is following in his footsteps and has got the same passion that his grandad had. Ever since Max was old enough to have any hand-eye coordination, my dad was throwing a ball at him.”
In an interview years ago Russ, who later featured in a BBC documentary about the game, said his epitaph should be ‘Play as long as you can because you can’t play as long as you want’.
An annual Russ Cuddihy Memorial Trophy youth competition will also be contested in Great Harwood in Russ’ memory.
President Richard Cheesbrough added a tribute on behalf of Great Harwood CC, which is also mourning another explayer John Whitehead.
Richard said: “We are very sad that we have lost two fine former players in such a short time. It’s a bit of a blow to everybody, we are terribly saddened.”
Accrington Stanley FC tweeted: “Everyone at ASFC is sad to hear of the passing of Russ Cuddihy, a former player who was at the club when Stanley resigned from the league in 1962. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Russ.”
He leaves wife Moira, son Daryl, daughters Gaynor and Victoria, grandchildren Aaron, Drew, Max and Aubrey, and great-grandson Axel.
The funeral is on Monday, July 20 at 12.20pm at Accrington Crematorium, followed by drinks at Great Harwood CC.
Family flowers, with donations to East Lancashire Hospice, via Hyndburn Funeral Services.