How terribly, terribly sad. I had no idea he was ill nor of his diagnosis. I remember a very pleasant afternoon in the 'Romper' pub in Cheshire, near the Airport somewhere with him and many others after a Manchester Test in the mid eighties. He'd retired the previous season and was in the company of others in the same boat. I confused him with his twin brother at first and we then sat outside with David Gower, discussing various legal points he was keen for opinion upon I remember. He thanked me very warmly, shaking my hand tightly with both his huge paws. A bottle of iced Veuve Cliquet in a silver bucket arrived just after he and his brother departed.
As a player he almost bowled off the wrong foot and looked very open chested. One of those people though for whom at the point of delivery everything clicked. Well disguised pace and huge reserves of inner courage combined to make him the fourth highest English wicket taker of all time. No stranger to pain after both knees went under the knife, he never complained I was told and just got on with it. A big man in all ways with great ability, heart and kindness. Why him?
Farewell Dylan god bless and thank you so much for your life. A lovely, lovely giant of a man.