Andy just smiled as he wound up Aussie hero Merv
ANDY GORAM would undoubtedly have had a glittering cricket career had it not been for his brilliance as a goalkeeper.
Yet, he still managed to earn five Scotland caps, most famously against the 1989 touring Australians in front of 10,000 spectators at Hamilton Crescent in Glasgow.
Team-mate that day Bruce Patterson led the tributes from the cricketing community, saying: ‘The Goalie was a legend in Scottish cricket.
‘I went to see him last week with a couple of other old cricket mates and he lit up when we reminisced about some of the times we had.
‘Miriam (Goram’s ex-wife) texted us afterwards to say how much he’d enjoyed the cricket chat.
‘He absolutely loved the game. It gave him a great release from the pressure of football, and he was a seriously good player — batter and bowler — who had the heart of a lion.
‘In that Australia game, he came out to bat without a helmet and faced his first ball against their fiery fast bowler Merv Hughes, who sent a bouncer flying inches over Andy’s head.
‘Merv followed up with some typical Aussie verbals along the lines of: “No helmet Goalie! Stick to f ****** football!”
‘I was batting at the other end and Andy just gave Merv a smile and then smiled at me. He was in his element.
‘He was the sort of guy you wanted on your side and I feel lucky to have known him and spent great times with him.’ Goram also played two First Class matches against Ireland and faced Yorkshire at Headingley and Sussex at Myreside in the NatWest Bank Trophy.
Football close seasons allowed the opportunity to play some club cricket and he represented Uddingston, Penicuik, West Lothian and Freuchie at various stages in his career.
Former Uddingston team-mate Ayaz Gul posted: ‘Gone but always with us.
‘I will miss our chats on cricket and more recently on life itself but the memories and stories will live on. Family just got smaller.’
Cricket Scotland tweeted: ‘We are saddened to hear the passing of Scotland football and cricket legend Andy Goram.’