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Former England Cricketer Tony Pigott Dies at 67 After ECB Career

Former England and Sussex seamer Tony Pigott has passed away at the age of 67. He played one Test match for England in 1984 against New Zealand, taking two wickets. Pigott enjoyed a long first-class career, claiming 672 wickets and scoring over 4,800 runs. After retiring, he held significant administrative roles, including CEO of Sussex and over a decade of service with the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Key Points: Tony Pigott, Former England Cricketer, Passes Away at 67

  • Played one Test for England in 1984
  • Took 672 first-class wickets in 17-year career
  • Later served as ECB Pitch Liaison Officer
  • Scored over 4,800 first-class runs
  • Was an inaugural Cricket Liaison Officer in 2015
2 min read

Former England cricketer Tony Pigott passes away at 67

Former Sussex & England seamer Tony Pigott dies at 67. He played one Test, took 672 first-class wickets, and later worked for the ECB.

"Pigott played one Test for England and spent more than a decade working for the ECB after his retirement. - ECB website"

London, February 3

Former Sussex and England seamer Tony Pigott has passed away at the age of 67. After retiring from cricket, Pigott spent two years as Chief Executive Officer at Sussex from 1997 to 1999, before later joining the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2005 as a Pitch Liaison Officer, according to the ECB website.

Pigott played one Test for England and spent more than a decade working for the ECB after his retirement.

Pigott made his sole Test appearance in 1984 against New Zealand at Christchurch. In that match, he took two wickets, finishing with figures of 2 for 75 from 17 overs in the first innings. He did not bowl again, as New Zealand batted only once after enforcing the follow-on on England.

In the match, Pigott claimed wickets of New Zealand's opener Bruce Edgar before dismissing Jeremy Coney. Notably, Richard Hadlee scored 99 runs for New Zealand and then also led the bowling group to bowl England out twice under the score of 100 runs as England faced an innings and 132 runs defeat at the hands of the hosts. With the bat, Pigott scored 12 runs for England in the Test.

Pigott claimed 672 wickets at an average of 30.99 across a first-class career that lasted 17 years, featuring in 260 matches for Sussex and Surrey. Pigott also scored 4,841 runs in his 260 first-class matches with one century and 20 fifties to his name, and the highest score of 104*.

He also featured in 270 List A matches, claiming 377 wickets at an average of 24.39. Pigott scored 1,727 runs with the highest score of 53.

When the role of Cricket Liaison Officer was introduced in 2015--serving as the ECB's representative at 1st XI matches and a forerunner to the modern Match Referee position--Pigott was among the inaugural appointees and continued in the role through the end of the 2018 season, according to the ECB website. His duties included supporting ground staff and umpires at domestic fixtures, as well as overseeing player conduct and pitch assessments.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting to read about his post-playing career. A Pitch Liaison Officer sounds like a crucial but often unseen job. Ensuring fair pitches is so important for the game's integrity. Respect for his long service to cricket.
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Arjun K
Only one Test match, but a first-class career spanning 17 years and 672 wickets is nothing to scoff at. It shows the depth of county cricket back then. These are the workhorses of the sport. Condolences to his family.
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Priya S
The article mentions Richard Hadlee's 99. That must have been a tough match for England, losing by an innings. To play just one Test and be remembered for your contributions off the field is a different kind of legacy. Om Shanti.
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Vikram M
A century and a five-wicket haul in first-class cricket shows he was a proper all-rounder at the domestic level. It's a shame he couldn't translate that more at the international stage, but such is sport. His work with the ECB after retiring is commendable.
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David E
While it's always sad when a sportsman passes, I do wish articles like these spent a bit more time on the person behind the stats. What was he like? What did his colleagues say? The focus is very heavily on the numbers from decades ago.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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