SIR – It’s immensely sad news to hear of Graham Dilley’s death, especially at such a young age and at a time when he was doing good work as a coach – and a successful and respected coach – at Loughborough.

There will be many Worcestershire members and fans among the countless numbers who will be mourning his death.

It was a real coup for the county when we signed him, almost days after our signing of Ian Botham.

With the excitement of two legends of the game coming to New Road our membership grew from about 4,500 to almost 7,000 almost overnight.

And with the side being strengthened by these two great players, alongside the burgeoning talents of Graeme Hick, Steve Rhodes, Neal Radford, Tim Curtis, Richard Illingworth, Phil Newport, Damian D’Oliviera and Martin Weston, under the quiet but assured leadership of Phil Neale it was little wonder that we won two county championships, two Sunday League titles – and with them the Refuge Assurance Cup, and the Benson & Hedges Cup in that six-year period when Dill was with us.

Unsurprisingly, as a genuinely quick bowler with a big frame, he struggled with more than his fair share of injuries throughout his career, but there were plenty of times when he went on the field for Worcestershire when he was less than 100 per cent fit and yet delivered the goods.

I often felt he deserved a medal for his performances in those situations – many of which helped us to those memorable successes.

Towards the end of his time with us he was playing in a second XI game at Taunton, seeking match fitness to play in the county side again, when he felt his back ‘go’.

A subsequent detailed examination when he got home led the surgeon to advise that if he continued playing and bowling fast he would almost certainly become seriously injured and probably become a wheelchair case.

It was such a sad way to end an illustrious career which had taken him to the heights.

When he finished playing, it was quickly spotted that he was an excellent coach, and particularly a good bowling coach with the gift of passing on his skills in an uncomplicated way to which young cricketers responded well.

But now we have only the memories to recall – perhaps of Graham coming in full tilt for the county or for England and, for those privileged to share this, sitting quietly in the dressing room at the end of a good day with a cigarette in one hand and a pint in the other, delighting in the company of his fellow pros and enjoying talking about the game.

MICHAEL VOCKINS
Former secretary, Worcestershire County Cricket Club