The legacy of a ‘cricket-mad’ Sidbury man will be honoured in a memorial match at his former club.

Mark Bishop has organised the event in memory of his dad Chris, who served as Sidbury Cricket Club’s groundsman, fixture secretary and committee member for nearly 20 years.

Chris died in January in his childhood home in Newton Ferrers, having moved back to take care of his father.

The 68–year-old was a founding member of the Sidbury Fireworks Committee and worked as a dentist at Seafield Surgery.

Mark has helped to organise the game on Saturday, June 3, for those who could not attend his father’s funeral and hopes to raise £2,000 to buy the club a new roller in honour of his dad.

Mark said: “Cricket was his life and the love of his life. He took great pride in the wicket at Sidbury and spent a vast amount of hours sat on the wicket roller. It is safe to say that, without his and others’ efforts, it is unlikely that the playing surface and the club would have survived and Sidbury CC would not be flourishing as it is today.

“The fireworks started as a small display with about 300 people. This year, I did the catering up there and it was nearly 3,000 - it’s really flourished. “It’s his legacy in a way.

“He was involved in community activities and people knew him as a friend. He was an intelligent man and quite caring and he seemed to be respected where he went.”

The event will be held at Sidbury Cricket Club on June 3 from 1pm. There will be a barbecue, refreshments and a small auction.

If you would like to donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sidburyccroller, or cheques can be made payable to Sidbury Cricket Club and sent to Mark Bishop, 11 Hillside, Sidbury, EX10 0QZ.

For more information contact Mark on mtj.bishop@hotmail.co.uk.