Over and out...Cecil will bowl his final ball at 85
A CRICKET stalwart is set to finally call it a day...aged 85.
Cecil Wright has taken more than 7,000 wickets over the years.
He made his first-class debut in 1959 against a Barbados side including West Indies legends Wes Hall and Sir Garfield Sobers. He also played with greats such as Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Viv Richards, Joel Garner and Denis Compton.
He started at nine and continued to terrorise batsmen after arriving in England from his native Jamaica in 1959.
But on September 7, he will play his final match for the Second XI at Uppermill Cricket Club in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It will be a home fixture against Springhead in Division Five East of the Greater Manchester Cricket League.
The pace bowler, known as Cec, continued to turn out even after his son Courtney retired.
He said: “I wish I knew the reason for my longevity, but I couldn’t tell you what it is.
“It has probably helped that I have not put on a lot of weight and I haven’t had any injuries.”
Last year, grandfather Cec, who is married to Enid, smashed the winning six in successive matches.