Tributes have been paid to former Bedford Town Cricket Club, Bedfordshire and England cricketer, Wayne “Ned” Larkins who has passed away at the age of 71.
Beginning his cricket journey at Bedford Town, the majority of Larkins’ first-class career was spent at Northamptonshire, before he moved to Durham after 19 years at Wantage Road, while the opening batsman was also part of the England side that lost the 1979 World Cup final.
Born on 22 November 1953 in Roxton, Larkins was a stalwart of the Northamptonshire side; the opening batsman building a first-class career that lasted 23 years, where he amassed 27,142 first-class runs across 482 matches, passing 1,000 first-class runs in every season between 1978 and 1985.
He also played 485 List ‘A’ games, scoring a further 13,594 runs.
His first-class record earned him a call up to the 1979 England World Cup squad on home soil, where he played in the winning semi-final against New Zealand as well as the final that England lost to the West Indies.
Following his first-class career, Larkins took a step back to the minor counties scene – now called the National Counties – where he played five seasons for Bedfordshire from 1996 to 2000.
“A special talent”
However, before all of that, he first set foot on the grass of the home of Bedford Town Cricket Club, The Bury, making an impact as a junior player; his top score of 92 not out coming as a 15-year old against an adult Wellingborough Town side.
“One day, when he was 14, we had a last minute drop out and as captain I asked Wayne if he would like to play”, remembers Bedford Town stalwart, Mike Green.
“[He] promptly smashed an unbeaten 50, which I think surprised even his own family. In the next match at Winchmore Hill we were 60-5 chasing 180, and he powered us to victory with 70 in 45 minutes.
“Clearly he was a special talent and would probably have been the youngest player to play Minor Counties cricket for Bedfordshire had he not been snapped up by Northamptonshire when he was 15.
“When he was surprisingly released by Durham at the end of the 1995 season, I phoned and asked if he would like to play for his home county”, he adds.
“I can still hear his voice saying, ‘I would be honoured to’. A quick trip to his home in Sedgefield, five or six pints in the pub conveniently situated next door, and the deal was clinched.
“And what a successful deal it proved to be as in the 1996 season he scored a record-breaking 1,024 Championship runs and also steered Bedfordshire to the Minor Counties Trophy final at Lord’s”.
An opening batsman who batted with style, Larkins has been described as “ahead of his time” in an era where cricket was more traditional and slow-going.
“He was such a talent”, says journalist and Northamptonshire cricket archivist, Andrew Radd.
“What a shame he never had the opportunity to showcase his skills in T20. [He was] fun to be around, even when describing me as ‘the worst footballer I’ve ever seen’ during a BBC Northampton charity match!”
“RIP #308”.
Larkins was also an accomplished footballer, appearing in the Southern League for the likes of Buckingham Town and Wellingborough Town having been on the books at Notts County as a youngster, but it is his cricket career for which he will be most fondly remembered.
However, his international career was stop start.
Having been selected for the business end of the 1979 World Cup, Larkins made his test debut in an Ashes series against Australia down under at the end of the same year, but played just six tests before joining a South African rebel tour.
After serving a three year ban for his participation in South Africa, it took a further six years to be recalled to the England setup, appearing in 13 test matches in all, plus 25 one-day internationals, scoring a single one-day century against Australia in 1989.
Larkins’ wife Debbie said, “Ned loved everyone he met and everyone loved him. People were drawn to his infectious energy. He lit up every room and never wanted the party to finish.
“He loved his soulmate of a wife and his precious daughters so much. He will be partying up in the sky, drinking a toast to everyone and to his own life. We are devastated but we’ll never forget his undeniably unique presence and his impact on our lives.
“We will carry him in our hearts forever.”
