FAMILY and friends of a well-known Wirral cricketer will come together to pay their respects to him after Covid-19 restrictions prevented them doing so last year.

Following the passing of Bob Davies, aged 91, in March last year, his family were unable to celebrate his life in the way they hoped due to the ongoing pandemic.

But Bob will now get a fitting send off with a 20 over match played in his memory at Birkenhead St Mary's Cricket Club with his family hoping many of his friends and old teammates will come to raise a glass in his memory.

A true one-club man, Bob spent over 83 years of his life at Birkenhead St Mary's CC as player, groundsman and president.

"Dad joined Birkenhead St Mary's in 1936, aged seven, when he helped to put up the score on the scoreboard using the old tin numbers," said Bob's son, Phil Davies. "He started to get the odd game during the war when people weren't given home leave.

"After the war he did his National Service with the RAF. He then returned to his beloved club where he rose to captain the first team in the 1950s.

"He was in the first team throughout the '50s, '60s, '70s and early '80s serving again as captain for a couple of terms before moving down to the 2nd XI and then to captain the third team.

"Arthritis eventually stopped him playing in 1994 which meant he played in seven different decades. He took up umpiring for a while before he became first team scorer.

"He was always helping around the club, particularly as head groundsman, which he had also performed for many years whilst still playing. He helped to coach the youth teams and often had a full car for away games."

The game will start at about 1pm on Saturday, September 18 and there will be a buffet lunch available for all.

If anyone would like to play in the match, please contact Bob's son Phil on phildavies64@gmail.com or daughter Chris on chris.m.flaherty@btinternet.com