England Test bowling great Sir Alec Bedser dies

(BBC) Former England fast bowler Sir Alec Bedser has died at the age of 91.

Bedser, knighted in 1997, passed away last evening at a hospital in Woking after falling ill last month.

He took 236 wickets for England in 51 Test matches in a 10-year period before serving a record 23 years as a selector and managing two overseas tours.

Along with twin brother Eric, Bedser was an integral part of the Surrey team that won seven consecutive county championships between 1952 and 1958.

Besder remains one of England’s greatest bowlers having taken 100 or more wickets in a county season 11 times during his career.

“Alec Bedser deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest England bowlers of all time, a master of the craft of seam bowling and a true legend of the game,” said England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke.

He had been, until his death, the last man alive to have taken the wicket of Sir Donald Bradman – dismissing the legendary Australian batsman six times in Test cricket.