Neil Williams (cricketer)
Neil Fitzgerald Williams (2 July 1962 – 27 March 2006) was an England cricketer, who played first-class cricket for both Middlesex and Essex. In a first-class career spanning over seventeen years, he took 675 wickets and scored 4,457 runs.
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| Full name | Neil Fitzgerald Williams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 July 1962 St Vincent, Windward Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 27 March 2006 (aged 43) Kingstown, St. Vincent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed batsman (RHB) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right Arm Fast-Medium (RFM) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Life and career
Williams was born in St Vincent and emigrated to Britain when he was 13. He joined Middlesex after a season-and-a-half as an MCC Young Professional during which time he had been playing for Hornsey. A deeply religious man, when he first arrived at Lord's, he refused to play on Sundays. He made his county debut in 1982. A brisk bowler with good accuracy and late away-swing. He was a key part of four Championship-winning sides (1982, 1985, 1990, 1992). In 1995, following a successful benefit, he moved to Essex where he played until 1998. He also played three seasons for Windward Islands and one season with Tasmania in 1983-84.
His Test call-up for the last Test of 1990 against India at The Oval came when Chris Lewis withdrew with a migraine. Williams took 2 for 148 (the victims were Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin) with 38 scored as a nightwatchman.
Mike Brearley, his first captain at Middlesex, said he was a "modest, unassuming person who always did his absolute best for the team," while Christopher Martin-Jenkins described him as a "courteous, friendly man brought up to believe in the precious traditions of fair play". Former team-mate Angus Fraser said he was "a very talented bowler who, in another era and had he not picked up so many injuries, may have played for England a few more times."
After retiring he took up coaching and was the coach of St Vincent's Academy for Kids at the time of his death. He died of pneumonia, in St Vincent, three weeks after suffering a stroke. He was 43 years old.