Brian Reid funeral details confirmed

The farewell for our all-time leading wicket taker, Brian Reid, will be held at 1.45pm on Friday 14 October at St Andrew’s Church, Church Gate House, Cobham, KT11 3EJ.

The family request Family flowers only but donations instead will be gratefully received for either the British Kidney Foundation and Guide Dogs for the Blind. The family also request no funeral clothes.

For those attending, RSVP soonest to sar.reid@hotmail.co.uk

As well as being our all-time leading wicket taker, Brian was also President between 1998 and 2005. The announcement of Brian's death was not only sad after the battle that he had endured, but also signified the loss of one of the outstanding personalities in the history of the Club.

Brian joined the Club in 1961 and continued in First Team cricket until 1993, playing an astonishing 1,016 matches during that time. A capable lower order batsman, and an excellent catcher in the slips, his forte was, however, as a bowler. Initially, he was as quick as anyone on the circuit but as the years passed, he was able to bowl with equal facility off either a long run or a short one. His outstanding record showed that he took 2,274 wickets at an average of 15 over his career.

His skills are highlighted by his Middlesex County Cricket League record. Brian was 36 when the League commenced in 1972, the same year he helped Brentham reach the final of the National Club Knock-Out at Lord's. In spite of his age, he went on to take 542 wickets at the top level of the MCCL at an average of 17.82. This remains the most top division wickets taken by a bowler in the MCCL to this day. He took five wickets in a match on no less than 29 occasions, his best being 9 for 16 against Ealing CC. Alongside Tony Williams (right above), the pair took nearly 1100 MCCL wickets between them.

Awarded Club Person of the Year three times, Brian captained the Club from 1973 to 1975 and again from 1981 to 1983, was an active President from 1998 to 2005, and has been honoured as a Life Vice-President of the Club. He served on the MCCL Committee and was appointed a Vice President of the League. He also sponsored the League through his company, Southdown, for three years.

Brian represented the Club Cricket Conference, earning selection for a tour of Australia, as well as Middlesex 2nd XI. He was picked to play for the County but he could not make himself available. He played regularly for MCCL, the Thames Valley Gentlemen and Buckinghamshire Cavaliers.

Brian was an outstanding player, leader, and contributor in many guises. He was a loyal Brentham man who continued to take a keen interest in all that went on in the Cricket Club.

Our thoughts are with Brian's friends and family at this most sad time.