Tributes to former Yorkshire star Ted

Readers have been telling us of their memories of former Yorkshire cricket star Ted Lester, who passed away last week.

Len Plaxton : I was saddened to hear that Ted had passed away. I had known him since my youth club days .

We had a very good table tennis group at Westborough Chapel and Ted would bring his team of George McKinley and Bill Sowden to play an annual match. We looked forward to it as it was always a battle.Ted had such a fantastic eye for the ball and just when you thought you had ‘killed’ it the ball came back.

His defence was solid as a rock and his counter attack could take you by surprise.

Ted was eight years older than me, and attended the Scarborough Boys High School.

About 10 years ago I saw him jogging round Marine Drive and suggested he joined the old boys association i.e The Old Scarborians, which he did.

If I remember correctly Ted worked at the Town Hall in his early years and the powers that be were happy to allow him time off to represent the county at cricket before he became a full-time professional.

He was an absolute gent and always had time for a chat when you bumped into him.

God bless you Ted, it was a privilege to have known you.

Jim Goodman : I remember fondly watching Ted Lester play at North Marine Road in the late 50s and early 60s.

I started watching Scarborough CC in 1959 at the age of eight and Ted used to open the batting.

My best memory of him playing was when he hit his Yorkshire League record of 180 no in 1961 against Hull.

This record stood until 1984 when it was broken by another Scarborough CC and Yorkshire star David Byas.

Ted was often seen at the Scarborough Festival and always had time to chat, something I will miss in the years to come.

R.I.P. Ted.