Brian Close - not by any means the greatest but possibly the bravest

Growing up as a cricket mad teenager Brian Close was a distant but heroic figure to me.

I was 15 years old when he was recalled to the England side in 1976. He looked to me like a very old man; bald, wearing what seemed to be a white Marks and Spencer cotton mix shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and no obvious protection to face the best fast bowling attack in history. 

Actually he was 45 years old. He wore those pretty useless Tony Greig batting gloves and some pads and that was it. The over Michael Holding bowled to him at Old Trafford was probably the most intimidating 5 minutes of sport there has ever been.

Throughout my cricket life we always talked of Brian Close. Whenever anyone was hit by the ball Brian Close was cited. Normally as you collapsed in agony someone would point out that 'Brian Close would not even rub it.'

Close pioneered fielding at short leg, less than two yards from the batsman. Again this was pre-helmet and when the batsman connected properly he would allow the ball to hit him. It may be apocryphal of course but the story which always gets repeated over post match nostalgic chats was of a time that the ball from a full blooded hook shot hit Close on the shoulder and bounced up and was caught by the fielder at gully. As he walked off for lunch a concerned female spectator said, "Mr Close. Well done but you must be more careful. What if the ball had hit you on the head?"

Close replied, "Madame then he would have been caught in the covers".

Looking back now with the benefit of hindsight I realise that Brian Close was not actually a great cricketer. He was picked first for England aged 18 but never truly established himself in the side. But he was obviously an incredible character. I think he was probably a bit scary but as a captain he got the best out of the promising youngsters in the Somerset team - including cricketers in the Sirs Viv and Beefy who went on to be greats.

As an administrator back at Yorkshire Brian Close went on to fall out with Geoff Boycott, which in itself suggests sound judgement!

Brian Close's death was announced today. He was 84 and I gather - in true obituary speak - he lived life to the full. RIP Brian Close - maybe not the best but certainly the bravest.