England stars past and present pay tribute to ‘fierce competitor’ David Lawrence

Lawrence has died at the age of 61, a year on from making his devastating motor neurone disease diagnosis public.

England players take part in a minute’s applause for the late David Lawrence ahead of day three of the India Test (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Wire)

Phil Tufnell remembered his former England team-mate David ‘Syd’ Lawrence as a “fierce competitor” and “a great friend” after his death from motor neurone disease.

Lawrence has died at the age of 61, a year on from making his devastating diagnosis public.

The Gloucestershire favourite, a tearaway fast bowler whose international career was cut short by a terrible knee injury, was a well-loved character within the game as well and the first British-born black cricketer to play for England.

A minute’s applause was held at Headingley ahead of day three of the first Rothesay Test against India, with Ben Stokes’ side wearing black armbands in Lawrence’s honour.

Tufnell, who shared the field with Lawrence in what proved to be his final Test, told BBC’s Test Match Special: “He was a great man, Syd, a fierce competitor. He was a great friend of mine.

“He was a sight to behold, coming in with the ball in hand: a great big fella, all arms and legs and determination.

“He was a very intimidating sight but with a very soft, warm heart. He had a great sense of humour. He would literally walk into a room and just fill the room with smiles and laughter and stories.

“He always sort of looked after the underdog. God, he got me out of a few scrapes!”

Mark Butcher, who faced Lawrence in his brief comeback following the reconstruction of his knee and remembers being bounced out by him, told Sky Sports: “He didn’t have that raw pace then but goodnees gracious me he came thundering in. I think he was the bowler that stopped me hooking.

“He was a big bear of a man, a full throttle individual who wore his heart on his sleeve. He was so proud to have represented England. Every time you met him there was genuine warmth there.

“To see the way things ended up for him was incredibly sad.”

Former England bowler Stuart Broad lost his step-mother Miche to MND in 2010 and helps run the Broad Appeal, raising awareness and money to for research into the disease.

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“There’ll be a lot of sad people around the country and around the world with Syd’s passing,” he said.

“But the MND community is very strong, very focused and very driven about finding a cure. We hope and pray a cure will be found at some stage.”