LONDON: Former England wicket-keeper John ‘JT’ Murray has died aged 83, his club Middlesex announced on Wednesday.

Murray was taken ill at Lord’s, Middlesex’s home ground, following the completion of their dramatic County Championship win against Warwickshire on Tuesday and died later that evening.

In a 24-year first career, with Middlesex his only county, from 1952 to 1975 the stylish Murray completed more than 1,500 in all first-class matches and scored nearly 19,000 runs.

Many shrewd judges felt he was unlucky to play just the 21 Tests for England, which yielded 55 dismissals and 506 runs at 22, including an innings of 112 against the West Indies at The Oval in 1966.

“Losing JT is a devastating blow to Middlesex cricket,” said Middlesex president and former England off-spinner John Emburey in a club statement. “He is undoubtedly the finest wicket-keeper in the history of the club and would be one of the first names on any team sheet when picking an all-time Middlesex XI. What he achieved is unlikely to be repeated.”

Emburey added: “He was not only a very fine cricketer, but was a fine man — loyal and committed to Middlesex Cricket. He was a Middlesex man through and through and he continued to serve the club magnificently after retirement as a committee man, confidant and, most of all supporter.

“In many ways, it was fitting that his last day was spent at Lord’s enjoying a Middlesex victory.”

The Middlesex flag at Lord’s will fly at half-mast in Murray’s memory.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2018