Former England captain and ashes hero, Bob Willis has died at the age of 70, after a brief illness. His family released this statement announcing his death:
“We are heartbroken to lose our beloved Bob, who was an incredible husband, father, brother and grandfather. He made a huge impact on everybody he knew and we will miss him terribly.”
The ECB said they were “forever thankful for everything he has done for the game”, adding: “Cricket has lost a dear friend”.
Bob Willis was born in Sunderland, and began his first-class career with Surrey, before going on to spend more than a decade at Warwickshire, while also enjoying a short spell with South African side Northern Transvaal
Willis was a key part of the side that enjoyed a historic 3-1 series win over Australia in the 1981 Ashes, taking eight wickets in the second innings of the famous third Test at Headingley, where Ian Botham’s century helped England to a remarkable comeback triumph.
The fast bowler, who made 90 Test appearances for his country between 1971 and 1984, went on to have a successful career as a broadcaster covering the sport.
Willis’s 325 Test wickets place him fourth on England’s all-time list, behind only Ian Botham, Stuart Broad, and the most prolific Test seamer in history, James Anderson.
In 2018, the ECB named Willis in its greatest ever Test side, picked to mark the occasion of England’s 1000th Test match.