Sam Gannon, former Australia pacer, passed away aged 73 on Saturday (February 6). The left-arm paceman played three Tests during the time when a slew of Australia's first team players were partaking in World Series Cricket. Gannon made his Test debut against India in 1977 at his homeground, WACA, and picked up seven wickets in the Test. Incidentally, on his Test debut, he bowled first change behind Jeff Thomson. He also played 40 first-class games, bagging 117 wickets at an average of 30.47. He retired from the game in the 1978-79 season.
After retiring from the game, Gannon became the Vice-Chair and Chair of Western Australia Cricket Association for more than decade. Gannon was given the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2017. "Australian and Western Australian cricket has lost one of its great leaders in Sam Gannon and, on behalf of everyone at Cricket Australia, we send our sincere condolences to Sam's family and friends," said Earl Eddings, Cricket Australia chair. "As a deft left-arm quick, a giant of the business community, a leader of charitable causes and a brilliant cricket administration, Sam was known and loved across Australia and particularly in his home state of WA, where his positive impact on the community will be felt for many generations to come. As the Perth Scorchers take the field tonight wearing black armbands in Sam's memory, we should all take a moment to reflect on his enormous contribution to our great game."
