Trueman
LONDON (Reuters):
FRED TRUEMAN, regarded as England's finest fast bowler, has died at the age of 75.
British media quoted his wife Veronica as saying he died in a Yorkshire hospital. He was diagnosed in May with lung cancer.
In 1964, the man known
as "Fiery Fred" became the first bowler to take 300 test wickets.
Trueman finished with 307 wickets in 67 tests, averaging 21.57. He took five wickets in an innings 17 times, and 10 wickets in a match on three occasions.
"You hear a lot about how good certain fast bowlers have been but this fellow was really the best, there is absolutely no doubt about that," said former Yorkshire and England captain Ray Illingworth.
"He was a great character, but with a bit of fun about him and he was never nasty," Illingworth said on the England Cricket Board website.
"He was one of the greats," former England captain Mike Gatting told BBC News 24. "He never bowled a bad ball.
"He was a competitor, he'd never give up. He really just loved to play the game. He wasn't too fond of going in the gym, but he'd bowl all day for you."
Trueman is still the third highest England test wicket taker of all time, behind Ian Botham (383) and Bob Willis (325).
