Son of Basil DOliveira dies after battle with cancer

The former Worcestershire chairman Duncan Fearnley says the memory of academy director Damian D’Oliveira, who has died at the age of 53, will live on through the many players he brought through the club’s youth ranks.

The county announced on Sunday that D’Oliveira, son of the late Worcestershire and England legend Basil, had died after losing a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.

A statement on the county’s official website read: “The players were informed of the news of his death shortly before the start of today’s County Championship match with Glamorgan at New Road.

“He leaves his wife Tracey and two other children in Marcus and Dominic.”

D’Oliveira played for Worcestershire between 1982 and 1995 and scored more than 9,000 first-class runs.

As academy director he had overseen the introduction of a number of talented players into the first team at New Road, including his son Brett.

Speaking as former team-mates gathered for the county’s old players’ day, Fearnley explained how Damian had given his life to cricket and to Worcestershire.

“He had a good career here, he loved this club like his dad did,” Fearnley said. “His name will live on through the players out there now in the first team as many of them came through the academy he was in charge of. They have all come through the ranks together.”