England are wearing black armbands for the third T20I of their series in Sri Lanka, in memory of legendary county pacer and Test one-cap wonder Tony Pigott.
Pigott died at the age of 67 on February 1, after suffering a cardiac arrest. The Sussex pacer, who played one Test match for England in 1984, took 672 first class cricket and scored one first-class hundred. He moved to Surrey in 1994 before injuries forced him to retire from playing. He coached Surrey's second team before taking over as Sussex chief executive in 1997.
England players took to the field in Pallekele today (February 3), wearing black armbands in Pigott's memory.
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Pigott: England's one cap wonder
Pigott's single international cap came in Christchurch in 1984. Hit by a late injury crisis, England called-up Pigott – who was playing for Wellington at the time – to their squad for the second Test of the series. So eager was Pigott to play in the match that he rescheduled his wedding, which was scheduled to take place on the fourth day of the game. While the match went badly for England, who were bowled out for 83 and 93, Pigott took 2-75 in the first innings.
Having made his county debut for Sussex in 1978, Pigott went on to take more than 1,000 professional wickets, including turning his first first-class wicket into a hattrick on debut. He went on to have an 18-year professional career, most of which was spent at Sussex.
When he came back to Hove as chief executive in 1997, he was credited with playing a big role in the foundations of Sussex's success in the early 2000s. Sussex won their first County Championship in 2003, and repeated the feat in 2006 and 2007.
Pigott was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2018, and underwent a 12-hour operation and chemotherapy. He published his memoirs 'Lester and the Deckchair Revolution' in November last year.
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