Memorial cricket match will celebrate the life of sporting legend

A Memorial cricket match is to be held to celebrate the life of a former captain of Thame Cricket Club, and all-round outstanding sportsman.

The late Ray Hawes who will be celebrated in a Memorial cricket match in June

The match will be held in the summer between a Ray Hawes XI & a Nigel Cassidy X1, to commemorate the life of Ray Hawes, who died in November 2013, in Charleston, South Carolina, USA age 75. He was an outstanding local sportsman at cricket, golf, squash and table tennis. He captained Thame Cricket Club in the 1966 & 1967 seasons scoring thousands of runs during his time there, including a record breaking 1537 runs in 1964, averaging 48.83, with his highest score of 148 not out v Buckingham.

Ray moved to Aylesbury CC in 1969 where he became the first batsman for 20 years to score 1,000 runs in a season. He went on to captain the club for many years in 1970s. He represented Bucks & Devon over-50’s.

The Ray Hawes XI will be captained by his nephew, Steve Cooley, another past captain of Aylesbury, & will include his son Geoff, who lives in the USA managing Ray’s businesses, and his teenage American grandsons. The opposition will be provided by a Nigel Cassidy XI captained by his son, Darren. Nigel Cassidy died in 2008 age 62. Nigel is an Oxford United legend, a centre forward who made 116 appearances between 1970-74 scoring 33 goals. He was also an accomplished club cricketer. After retirement from football he became an hotelier in Cornwall. He & Ray were good friends.

The match in on Sunday, June 29th, 2014, at Thame Town CC’s ground at Christ Church Meadow, Thame, starting at 2pm.