CORNISH cricket has been stunned and saddened by the sudden death of the popular county and St Austell club scorer Brian Holder, writes

Michael Weeks

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   Brian Holder.

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He was more affectionately known to many in cricketing circles as 'Condor', a throwback to his pipe smoking days.

Although not enjoying the best of health in recent years, it came as a huge shock when he was found dead at his Fowey home last week.

Over the last three decades he had become an institution in the Cornish cricket score boxes, at the highest level.

He became the St Austell first XI scorer in the late 1970s, having being asked by former county players Phil Johns and Terry Willetts to take on the role.

A position he was to fulfil for thirty years at Wheal Eliza. Then when Mark Mitchell stood down as the Cornwall scorer in 1986, having spent a decade in the post, Brian was asked by the county team secretary Alex Machin if he would take over.

He accepted and for the following 22 consecutive seasons travelled thousands of miles across the country, hardly ever missing a fixture home or away.

He planned his annual holidays around the Minor Counties fixture list and became one of the longest serving scorers on the circuit – a select band who are regarded in high esteem forming a team with the umpires which are an integral part of county cricket.

At this level detailed timings, number of balls faced, over rates etc are vital requirements on top of the obvious accuracy.

Even after the match there are reams of paperwork to be completed and signed. Brian meticulously logged every detail, colour coded on his complex linear score sheets which few, if any, could fully understand.

They leave however, a comprehensive match record for posterity.

Last season he missed the first month due to a stomach operation but was back, quicker than anticipated, in place for Cornwall's three-day championship programme.

His last game was the dramatic title decider against Cheshire at Nantwich which, perhaps in hindsight fittingly, went down to the final ball of the season as Cornwall hung on for a draw to deny their hosts the title.

The match took place almost 300 miles from his Fowey home and in itself was an example of the dedication and logistics involved in carrying out his county duties over the years.

Cornwall County Cricket Club recognised him in 1993 for outstanding services with the award of the Arthur Lugg Cup.

Ironically he had just been nominated by the club to receive the cup for a second time at this year's annual meeting next month.

Brian, who was a bachelor, was born in Redruth in 1950 but was educated in Fowey and his introduction to scoring came in the early sixties.

He spent Saturday mornings scoring for Fowey Grammar School then for the Fowey club in the afternoons.

After a year at St. Austell Sixth Form College he always worked in the area. He started at English China Clay in the Accounts Dept in 1966 before moving onto the Shipping Agents - Harris and Co in 1973.

He ended his working life with Imerys at the weighbridge at Par Docks. Outside of cricket Brian was a keen brass band enthusiast with the Bugle Band Contest always an annual highlight to interrupt his cricketing summer.

Brian never had an ill word to say about anyone and was always ready with a quip – seemingly a required trait amongst his colleagues during those long nine hour plus days in Minor County score boxes.

Within an hour or so of the announcement of his death the word had got around county scorers across the country with Wiltshire's Steve Rice immediately picking up the phone to send his condolences.

Herefordshire's Jim Morris summed up the thoughts of many in a fitting tribute.

He said: "What a sad day, not only for Cornish cricket but cricket in general and so soon after the death of the great Bill Frindall. I first met Brian in 1998 when I started scoring for Herefordshire and there was always some good natured banter flying around. Rest in Peace Brian."