Worcestershire batsman and academy chief D’Oliveira dies from cancer, aged 53
FORMER Worcestershire batsman Damian D’Oliveira died yesterday, aged 53, following a two-and-a-half year fight with cancer.
D’Oliveira, the son of England Test cricketer Basil D’Oliveira, enjoyed later success as the county’s academy director.
He scored 9,000 first-class runs with a top score of 237 during more than a decade playing for Worcestershire, before nurturing new generations of talent, including his son Brett, who now plays for the county.
Tom Fell, one of the youngsters D’Oliveira brought through at the County Ground, scored a century yesterday against Glamorgan, just hours after his passing had been confirmed.
The club said in a statement: “Worcestershire are sad to report that academy director Damian D’Oliveira passed away in the early hours of this morning. D’Oliveira has bravely been battling cancer for the past two and a half years.”
Former Worcestershire chairman Duncan Fearnley said: “He had a good career here, he loved this club like his dad did.
“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.”
England batsman Jonathan Trott, meanwhile, took a wicket for Warwickshire against Nottinghamshire yesterday as he made his latest attempted comeback from a stress-related illness.
Trott, 33, took an “indefinite break” in April, aborting his return to competition following a recurrence of the condition that prematurely ended his participation in the winter Ashes whitewash.
The South Africa-born player, who returned to training in May, took the wicket of opener Phil Jaques as visitors Nottinghamshire finished day one of four on 397-7, England’s Alex Hales top scored with 183.