CRICKET: Ilminster CC remembers club stalwarts

ILMINSTER Cricket Club held a short ceremony on Saturday (August 26, 2017) to unveil two new plaques on the club’s memorial bench in memory of two stalwarts who died last year.

Tony Rice and Keith Harper both passed away late last year having been involved with the cricket club for many years.

Mr Harper died in November 2016 after a bravely fought illness. He started playing both cricket and football in the early 1960s and during his time with Ilminster CC over the years he was 1st XI captain, Sunday XI captain, club chairman, treasurer, fixtures secretary, club secretary and groundsman.

Mr Rice died the previous month at the age of 75 following a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease and is widely regarded as Ilminster’s greatest all-round sportsman having chalked up notable achievements in football and cricket.

His involvement with Ilminster CC lasted some 60 years including 17 successive seasons as captain. He was also groundsman for more years than can be remembered, while he ended up with 11,000 runs and countless wickets and catches to his name for the club.

Family and friends of Mr Harper and Mr Rice gathered at the club’s headquarters on the Ilminster Recreation Ground, which is now named the Tony Rice Bar, for the unveiling ceremony of the plaques on the Ilminster CC memorial bench.

“It was a great tribute to some great club members,” said a spokesman for Ilminster CC.

Later that day the Ilminster CC first team won a thrilling game against Taunton Deane in the final over with Craig Rice, Tony Rice’s son, aptly hitting two massive sixes.

The memorial bench was first unveiled in June 2016 in memory of Richard Crabb, Viv Joslyn, Billy Parsons and Pete Hurford, all valued supporters and players of Ilminster CC. They have now been joined by Tony Rice and Keith Harper.

PHOTO – TOP: Family members of Tony Rice and Keith Harper with the Ilminster CC memorial bench.

READ MORE – Swashbuckling Rice smashes sixes to win exciting match for Ilminster - http://www.ilminsterpress.co.uk/blog/2017/08/29/cricket-swashbuckling-rice-smashes-sixes-to-win-exciting-match-for-ilminster/ .

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Tony Rice’s daughter Claire Rice.

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