Ray Illingworth passes away at 89
Born in Pudsey, Yorkshire, the off-spinning all-rounder, started his first-class career in 1951 at the age of 19.
He represented England from 1958 to 1973, playing 61 Tests, scoring 1836 runs and picking 122 wickets. He captained England to a famous 2-0 Ashes victory in 1970/71.
He had a tremendous first-class career, accumulating 24,134 runs and taking 2072 wickets. He also led Yorkshire to three consecutive County Championship wins from 1966 to 1968.
After retirement, Illingworth turned to broadcast and was a part of BBC's television coverage. He also served as England's coach in 1995/96 and was the chairman of selectors between 1994 and 1996.
The thoughts of everyone at the ECB are with the friends and family of former England captain, head coach and chair of selectors Ray Illingworth.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 25, 2021
"We are deeply saddened to learn that Ray Illingworth has passed away," Yorkshire County Cricket Club posted on Twitter. "Our thoughts are with Ray's family and the wider Yorkshire family who held Ray so dear to their hearts."
Tom Harrison, Chief Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, also expressed his grief on Saturday night, stating: "It’s always incredibly sad to lose a person who has given so much to the English game, and to the sport of cricket in general.
"Ray was a superb cricketer, and his deep love, passion and knowledge for the game meant he continued to contribute long after his playing days had finished. We send our sympathy and warmest wishes to Ray’s friends and family at this difficult time."