Obituary

It is with great sadness that Towcestrians lost of it’s great stalwarts recently, Ray Griffin, who sadly lost his brave fight with cancer.

Ray played rugby for Tows but will be long remembered by the cricket section not just as a player but umpire and committee member. Here’s how some of his team mates remembers him and have paid tribute.

Ray Griffin

Sad to report we have lost another committed Towcestrian. Ray Griffin, a stalwart of the cricket section, died at the end of April. He was a dedicated club member and served as player (batsman, bowler and keeper), captain of our Northants Alliance side, cricket club secretary, press secretary, umpire, committee member and was involved in all aspects of the club for over 25 years.

Ray was the nicest of men and always good company. His loss has come as a real shock to all who knew and enjoyed wonderful times with him. Our sport may sometimes have been of variable quality but the camaraderie was always first class.

Many have shared memories of Ray over the last few days.

Terry Richards…
Chasing a small target at Raunds Ray opened with Roger Bird. One batsman was circumspect, the other expansive. Their partnership of 92 set up a fine win – Ray’s contribution was 1! I also remember opening the bowling with Ray with our ‘canny off-spin’ against Gard Sports and bowling them out for 40.

Kevin Hawkins…
One memory that springs to mind is when Ray arranged a fixture against his old club Fillongley CC. As I recall Ray had given Tows CC a big build up to the game and the fixture coincided with the return of Fillongley’s university students! Two of them opened the batting and put on something like 150 for the first wicket with balls being despatched to all parts of the ground much to Ray’s embarrassment! Eventually he saw the funny side and that famous Ray Griffin giggle emerged again and all was well!

Jack Parish…
I was saddened to hear the news of my favourite umpire, although he would never give me the borderline LBW – a very fair man through and through.  I do recall a story involving Ray at Nether Heyford. I was at deep square leg. The batsman hit the ball my way and I roared across the ground to try and stop the second run. Whilst concentrating on a quick pick up and throw, I let the ball go as hard and fast as I could. It was a throw that was BANG on target. Unfortunately Ray had other ideas. The ball hit the back of his head like a tracer bullet. Nonchalantly the great man stood up and said Not Out without any regard for his own health.  Within the immediate aftermath all players were concerned for his health. He insisted on continuing the game such was his perseverance.  Ray will be sorely missed on the field, but even more off it. 

Andy Roberts…
My first memories of Ray are his very watchful, solid, opening partnerships with Colin Tett.  Ray was the regular umpire for the second team while I was the captain.  He was always fair, and even though he wasn’t playing he was a very well respected member of our team. We’ll always remember the valuable contribution that Ray made to the club, on and off the field.

Alan Wiffill…
One of the most memorable recollections I have of Ray was (I think on the Canterbury Tour) when he took a hat-trick in one of the games despite being in the Team for his batting prowess!

Ken Lewis…
My most frequent memory of Ray was of his running between the wickets.  Ray, as you well know, and for all his other qualities as a batsman, was not the quickest out of the traps.  I can still hear his frequent shouts (directed at his batting partner) of, “Yes … no … oh bugger!

Tony Roberts…
I’ve been looking through some old scorebooks that chart Ray’s ups and downs on the field of play. It’s a guilty pleasure and has stirred so many memories but they don’t record Ray’s laugh, sense of fun or the enjoyment he had playing with the other flannelled fools. A better measure of his personality can be gleaned from the pieces he wrote for Nick White’s excellent end of season publication Tows R Us in the early 2000s. They are gently funny, generous and self-effacing, much like the man. I’ll ensure they are circulated widely.

John English…

Finally given out by the great umpire in the skies, despite several protestations!

R.I.P Ray

The club is grateful for the enormous contribution Ray made to Towcestrians cricket in all his roles and sends its sincere condolences to Jan, Michael and Nicola and their respective families.

Ray’s funeral was on Monday 16th May at Milton Crematorium and a wake was held at his beloved at Tows with a hog roast, refreshments, and some Chocolate Digestives, he was partial to them….