Yesterday brought the very sad news of the death of Peter Dibb at the age of 86. Peter was truly a league cricket legend in the Huddersfield area for so many years. He first played in the Huddersfield League way back in 1948 and only retired following an incredible career with nine different clubs in the same league just ten years ago. Even then he carried on playing occasional Sunday games for a club called the Penguins and was obviously loath to give up the game completely.
The Huddersfield cricket league has always been a very close knit community and the number of tributes and condolences on social media speak volumes for the affection every club had for this outstanding servant of the game.
Always an all rounder, until his batting understandably declined in his later years, he won the league batting prize as long ago as 1953 with Honley and thirty years later won the league bowling prize with Paddock. His career figures make awesome reading - 12,759 runs at an average of 23.63 in 842 innings at first team level and 2,140 wickets at an average of 15.73, having bowled 13,228 overs.
He moved around the league after spending many years at his first club Honley and was obviously in demand as a professional for several clubs who all still remember him with great affection.
Not only was Peter a cricketer but a keen hockey player for many years and a regular athlete with Longwood Harriers taking part in races of all distances including veterans events well into his seventies. He also played bowls in his later years and all in all could perhaps be compared with the great 'Wilson of the Wizard' as an all round sportsman.
I personally only got to know him during the last ten years or so when I often shared his company watching Yorkshire at Headingley and at regular winter lunches with other cricket lovers from the Huddersfield area. Being only a few years older than myself, I found that he shared my views on many aspects of the present first class game and like me he disliked Yorkshire's current policy of short term overseas signings and players from other counties at the expense of their own youngsters.
He certainly lit up the dullest day at Headingley and was always a delight to talk to. He will be sadly missed by so many people who played both with him and against him over the years. I can only conclude with a description from one of his former team mates and oldest friends - we have lost a lovely man. May he rest in peace.
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