OBITUARY: Suffolk cricket is today in mourning after the death of Hadleigh opening batsman, Dave Clifford.The 58-year-old died at the weekend after a short illness and his absence from the cricketing scene will be sorely missed.

By Martin White

OBITUARY

SUFFOLK cricket is today in mourning after the death of Hadleigh opening batsman, Dave Clifford.

The 58-year-old died at the weekend after a short illness and his absence from the cricketing scene will be sorely missed.

Clifford was not only an outstanding player, but also a great ambassador for the sport. He was never known to dispute any decision and, win or lose, he always made a point of socialising with the opposition.

His club, to which he stayed loyal over a 43-year period, owes a debt of gratitude to him for his

cricketing contribution and to his general jovial attitude.

During his time with Hadleigh he achieved the club's highest individual score – 192 not out – and the highest aggregate for the season by scoring 1,666 runs and a career batting average of more than 40. He also

featured in four stands of more than 200 runs.

Until this year, he had been a regular member of Suffolk's Over-50s championship side.

Clifford joined the RAF at the age of 15 in 1959 and played regularly for Strike Command in this country, Singapore, Gibraltar and Cyprus and once scored centuries on consecutive days.

After leaving the forces in 1974, he worked for various transport and engineering firms while at the same time carrying on his own business, dealing with car engines. More recently, he worked at MW Partridge's in Hadleigh.

He extended his cricketing activities to tour the West Indies and Norfolk with Suffolk Over-50s and this year guested for a touring team while in Brussels.

A devoted family man, he leaves his widow, Beverly, children Jody and Ashley, mother Gerry, sisters Sonia and Pat, a granddaughter Emily and her mother, Lisa.

A minute's silence was held in his memory before Hadleigh played Martlesham in the indoor six-a-side cricket league at Gainsborough Sports Centre, Ipswich, on Sunday as well as the Suffolk Over-50s dinner the previous night.

Richard English, one of his club colleagues and former Suffolk all-rounder, said: "Dave was a wonderful man, a superb cricketer and an inspiration to all who played with him. He will be sorely missed by all those who had the good fortune to have known him."