A FORMER England cricketer who had lived in Kidderminster for the past 50 years has died, aged 89.

Off-spinner Roy Tattersall played for Lancashire. He was born at Tonge Moor near Bolton and following good performances with the local club was signed by Lancashire in 1948.

His first full season was in 1950 and his 193 wickets, at 13.59 each, helped Lancashire to become joint winners with Surrey, of the County Championship.

In the winter of 1950-51, England were in Australia playing for the Ashes. A number of injuries saw Mr Tattersall and Brian Statham flown out to join the squad.

Mr Tattersall went on to play 16 times for his country. He took four five-wicket hauls, a 7-52 and a match return of 12-101 against South Africa at Lord’s in 1951.

In all, he took 58 test wickets at 26.18. His number of caps might have been more had Jim Laker not arrived on the scene at the same time.

In 13 seasons between 1948 and 1960, he took 1,369 county wickets, with a career best of 9-40 against Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford in 1953.

He left Lancashire County Cricket Club in 1960 and arrived in Kidderminster in January, 1961. He was appointed professional at Kidderminster Cricket Club (KCC) and was employed by Brintons Carpets in its showroom.

Mt Tattersall was to spend six seasons years playing for KCC and helped them to win the Birmingham League Championship in 1962. Both he and Basil D’Oliveira, who died last month, played for Kidderminster in 1964.

During his time with the club he took 181 wickets.

Brian Gittins, of Kidderminster, who knew Mr Tattersall, described him as “a modest man, with none of the trappings that seem to go with professional sportsmen in modern times”, adding: “I, personally, spent many happy hours with him at Chester Road, enchanted by stories of his life in cricket.

“His great joy came this year, when Lancashire, his beloved county, won the Championship outright for the first time since 1934.

Mr Tattersall died last Friday. He is survived by his wife, Phyll and his three daughters, Clare, Anne and Vicky.

His funeral is at 11am at Stourbridge Crematorium, next Wednesday.