Sadness at passing of Tex

"A GENTLEMAN" and "a character."

Those are two of the handsome tributes paid to Tex Thomson who has died at the age of 61.

The big-hitting batsman was not one for ones and twos, he was a fours and sixes man, and treated many local league cricket watchers to swashbuckling innings on a weekend afternoon.

He was also not a player who broke records or piled up lots of runs, but he held an affection with supporters in the way he approached the game.

Even after his days at the crease were over, he was a regular on the boundary edge, catching up with old friends and former team-mates, talking cricket.

Tex, who was living in Hollinwood at the time of his death, represented Delph in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League and Huddersfield League, as well as Heyside, Micklehurst and Stayley.

Delph first-team captain Grant Jones said: "It is such a shame.

"He was a gentleman and had time to stop and chat to everybody he met."

Another former Delph colleague Warren Jones tweeted: "Going to be sadly missed by many. Privileged to have played with and against him."

Steve Firth, the Heyside secretary and batsman, remembers watching Tex as a youngster in the nets at Little Hey Street.

"What a character," said Firth. "He was such an explosive player that, when he came into bat, I stopped practising with my mates to watch him.

"He will be sorely missed."

A salute from the Delph club read: "Well-known in local cricket, a larger than life character Tex who adored the sport. ÔHow-do smiler' is what he often used to say.

"All our thoughts are with Tex's friends and family. He's been taken too soon."