Tony Pigott dead at 67: Ex-England cricketer – who postponed his own wedding to play for his country – dies after cardiac arrest
Former England cricketer and Sussex bowler Tony Pigott died aged 67 after suffering a heart attack last week.
Born in London on June 4, 1958, Pigott took more than 1,000 professional wickets while also making a memorable single Test appearance for England.
He managed to turn his first first-class wicket into a hat-trick on his debut, and his subsequent form earned him a late call-up to England’s Test squad for the match against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1984.
However, due to his short notice of selection, he had to postpone his wedding to play for his country and went on to take two wickets in the Test.
After 18 years at Sussex, he moved to Surrey in 1994 but struggled with injuries and became the club’s second team coach.
Pigott later returned to his old county, where he became CEO after taking over the board in 1997.
Former cricketer Tony Pigott, who has died aged 67, was photographed while on Surrey duty in 1996.
He is widely credited with laying the foundations for Sussex’s huge success in the early 2000s; this included his first State Championship title in 2003.
Tributes poured in after Pigott’s death on Sunday, including from former Sussex captain Chris Adams, whom he recruited from Derbyshire as club captain in 1998.
‘Tony was one of the biggest positive transformative influences in the club’s history,’ he said Sussex website.
‘This is an incredibly sad day for his family, the Sussex family and indeed the wider cricket family. Personally, Tony played a huge part in shaping my life for the better and was the number one reason why I signed for Sussex in 1998.
‘A truly lovable, glass-half-full character who will be greatly missed by many. Thank you for everything you did for Sussex CCC ‘Lester’, in my eyes the 2003 Championship will always be dedicated to you and the brave few who stood up and were counted in 1997.’
Several others also hailed the former bowler and lower-order batsman, as one fan said: ‘RIP Tony, one of the best players I grew up watching and one of the nicest men I met at Hove.’
Another added: ‘When needed at short notice in New Zealand, I stepped up to the plate for England in a manly manner. RIP Tony.’
Another fan said: ‘This is really sad news, 20 years ago he was so important in terms of the change needed for success and he is also such a good actor.’
Pigott (above in 1978) took over 1,000 professional wickets and played once for England.
Former referee and Sussex goalkeeper Ian Gould shared his own praise, saying: ‘It’s so sad. Lester was one of the world’s greatest characters.’
Adams later paid tribute to X, adding: ‘Incredibly sad, such a lovely character who will be missed by so many. ‘Thoughts and hugs to everyone who was so happy to have known Lester.’
During his time as chief executive of Sussex, Pigott helped ensure Hove became the first cricket ground in the UK to install floodlights and was also praised for the culture he created.
After leaving the club in 1999, Pigott continued to hold a variety of roles in cricket, including grounds inspector and match referee.
