Former England captain and fast bowler Bob Willis has passed away, aged 70 after a short illness. Willis represented England in 90 Tests in an international career spanning 13 years between 1971 and 1984, finishing with 325 wickets. Willis was an integral member of the iconic Ashes-winning England team of 1981, claiming a memorable 8 for 43 in the team's come-from-behind victory in the third Test at Headingley.
"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," Willis's family said in a statement. With his long run up, a sprint across 30 yards that earned him the nickname 'Goose', Willis offered a compelling sight with the ball in hand. Termed ''a tremendous trier" by Botham, he fought his way back after suffering multiple injuries to both his knees in 1975.
Willis played 308 first class games for England, Surrey, Warwickshire and Northern Transvaal, claiming 899 wickets at 24.99 including 34 five-fers. He also had an impressive List A record, finishing with 421 wickets from 293 games. He is survived by his wife Lauren, daughter Katie, brother David and sister Ann. Cricketing legends from India and across the globe paid rich tribute to the former fast bowler on their social media handles. Check out the tweets here....
