It is with great sadness to report that the founder of the Sundown Specials Cricket Club, Trevor Harwood, passed away on Sunday 25th September, 2011. Trevor had been ill for some time.

He will be remembered by all who played with him as a one off character who could infuriate and frustrate but also entertain during the same conversation! His opponents also remember a competitive cricketer who never knew when a game was lost.

Barry Needham, Walthamstow Horizontals CC Founder member, recalls Trevor as follows:

"What i remember about Trevor is that he was short, had long hair and glasses. I remember that he batted 10 or 11, and usually bowled as bowler 5 or 6 and bowled a bit like a slow Roger Skipper, the kind of bowler that opposition batsman could knock all over the place or at least thought they could knock all over the place. I would like to provide some evidence from the historical documents known as the 1983 and 1984 scorebooks.

"He started his career against the Horizontals on June 19th at Lower Hall Farm. That day he got 7, took none for 20 off 3 overs and the Horizontals won by 40 runs.

"Later in the season at Victoria Park he didn’t get in, took 2 for 22 in 3 overs and this time the Specials won by 40 odd runs.

"In July 1984 the Specials crushed the Horizontals by 80 runs, Trevor not batting and taking 1 for 10.

"But Trevor’s contribution to Horizontal folklore happened on September 2nd 1984. This game was played at Barnet Playing Fields and I remember it because it was the day the phrase 'doing a horizontal' was coined by one of the Specials. 'Doing a horizontal' basically meant committing team suicide by trying to hit every ball out of the ground. What was Trevor’s contribution to that?

"Well at 27 for 1 off 8 overs the Horizontals were doing Ok. Trevor came on and the Horizontals were 101 all out off 20.3 overs. Trevor’s figures were 6.3 overs 7 wickets for 39. At the other end a Mr M Herlihy bowled 4 overs and got none for 36. For the record 2 were stumped, 3 caught and 2 bowled and his victims were Hannabus, A Leon, Joyeux, Harrison Smart, Myers and Ken Leon. Only Needham, Moore and Skipper escaped.

"Predictably the Specials won by 9 wickets , it may well have been his career best but 'doing a horizontal' is what we will always associate with him."

Trevor was a real Sundown legend, bravely fielding at silly mid on or silly mid off, a born again opening batsman in his final season, (before heading north), with the Harwood hoik over the slips or over the bowler's head. His bowling was legendary; many an hour I spent in the slips watching batsmen feast or perish against the looping slow spinners. His catch, fielding at silly mid on against Whitechapel, will never be forgotten. A full blooded pull ended with the ball lodged under his chin – catch taken, the batsman walked off in disbelief and Trev was then off to hospital. Good man.

Trevor, with the ubiquitous roll up in his mouth, was a deep thinker. Before he moved to the North West to study and work, he was always up for discussion in the Joiners Arms over a pint of IPA, be it sport, politics, music, environmental issues, women or gossiping about his team mates.

It was quite a poignant moment when he turned up for the final Sundown Specials game in 2009 to catch up on old friends. Pictures of that fine occasion will be posted on the web site in next few days. Very shortly before Trevor died Dave Cattell had spent some time with him and they enjoyed reminiscing of his days in Finchley and other stages of his life.

The use of the term ‘character’ has now become hackneyed but Trevor Robert Harwood deserves the description - we won’t forget you Trev. He established the club that gave its Members 28 years of (mostly) happy memories

Trevor Harwood (1951-2011)

Career record for Sundown Specials 201 games. (his final appearance a one off in 2002. (out for a duck))

Batting: 386 runs at average of 5.51. Highest Score 45

Bowling: 210 wickets at 10.51 with a strike rate of 13.94. Best bowling 7-17.

57 Catches

Trevor was also first to take 100 wickets for Sundown Specials in 1983 and the first to make 100 appearances

Biography

Mike Herlihy, October 2011

Details of Funeral: Friday 7th October at 11.00am at Morecambe and Lancaster Crem. Donations if wanted to any Cancer Charity. McMillan Nurses looked after Trev at home.

Address is Powder House Lane LA2 6AD.