Former Yorkshire and England captain Brian Close, one of the most physically courageous players in cricket history, has died at the age of 84, it was announced Monday. Close became the youngest player ever to win a Test cap for England when he made his debut against New Zealand in 1949 as an 18-year-old. He went on to lead his country seven times in 22 Tests, between 1949 and 1976 and also captained his native county to win four county championship titles.
Close scored almost 35,000 runs as a batsman, including 52 centuries with a highest innings score of 198. He also took 1,171 first-class wickets as an of-spin bowler and over 800 catches as a fielder. A member of the outstanding Yorkshire team of the 1960s which also featured England greats such as Geoff Boycott, Ray Illingworth and Fred Trueman, Close returned home to Baildon near Bradford more than 20 years later to lead Yorkshire's Academy team - and also serve as chairman of the cricket committee. His death, after a short illness, came just four days after Yorkshire sealed their second successive county championship title - and 32nd outright in all.
A statement on Yorkshire's website on Monday morning confirmed Close's death the previous day. It read: "It is with the deepest regret that Yorkshire County Cricket Club announce the death of Brian Close, CBE, one of Yorkshire and England's greatest ever captains and one of the game's most courageous players."