Bowler, 71, killed by horrified cricketer as he hits ball at his head during match

  • David Wilcockson, 71, was bowling at a ground in Cranleigh, Surrey when the ball struck him on the head
  • Died in hospital on June 1 after 13 days in a coma
  • He was the longest-serving member of the Old Dorkinians, joining the club in 1959
  • The pensioner had set himself a target of 3,000 wickets - and died just 101 short

By Jill Reilly

Published: | Updated:

A pensioner died from fatal injuries after being hit on the head by a cricket ball during a match.

David Wilcockson, 71, was bowling at a ground in Cranleigh, Surrey when the batsman's shot struck him on the head.

Players battled in vain to revive him after he slumped on the pitch unconscious and he was taken by air ambulance to King's College Hospital in London.

David Wilcockson (pictured), 71, was bowling at a ground in Cranleigh, Surrey when the ball struck him on the head

David Wilcockson (pictured), 71, was bowling at a ground in Cranleigh, Surrey when the ball struck him on the head

Players battled in vain to revive Mr Wilcockson after he slumped on the pitch unconscious and he was taken by air ambulance to King's College Hospital in London

Players battled in vain to revive Mr Wilcockson after he slumped on the pitch unconscious and he was taken by air ambulance to King's College Hospital in London

Mr Wilcockson was in a coma for 13 days, but died in hospital on June 1.

Retired insurance salesman Mr Wilcockson was a member of the Old Dorkinians cricket club, based in Dorking, Surrey who were playing against Grafham.

He was the longest-serving member of Old Dorkinians, joining the club in 1959 and playing 1,678 matches, taking 2,899 wickets and 230 catches.

Mr Wilcockson's teammate Andy Leopold, 44, told the Dorking Advertiser: 'It was a wet outfield so the wicket was quite sticky. 

'The batsmen were trying to hit the ball as hard as they could.

Retired insurance salesman Mr Wilcockson was a member of the Old Dorkinians cricket club, based in Dorking, Surrey who were playing against Grafham

Retired insurance salesman Mr Wilcockson was a member of the Old Dorkinians cricket club, based in Dorking, Surrey who were playing against Grafham

'Dave bowled, the batsman ran down the pitch and middled it towards him. It went straight into his head and he went down.'

The pensioner had set himself a target of 3,000 wickets — and died just 101 short.

Mr Wilcockson's funeral is scheduled to take place next month - he was not married and had lived with his mother in Dorking until her death in 2006.

The pensioner was the longest-serving member of Old Dorkinians, joining the club in 1959 and playing 1,678 matches, taking 2,899 wickets and 230 catches

The pensioner was the longest-serving member of Old Dorkinians, joining the club in 1959 and playing 1,678 matches, taking 2,899 wickets and 230 catches

The Old Dorkinians played a match against Warnham, with players from both teams wearing black armbands and observing a minute's silence the day after Mr Wilcockson's death.

Mr Wilcockson's sister Heather Scaplehorn, 72, who lives in Worcestershire, told the newspaper:

'He was a very considerate person, you could rely on him. If he said he would do something he did it.'

In February a 16-year-old schoolboy died after he was hit in the head by a cricket ball.

Kyle Rees collapsed after suffering the fatal head injury in the playground of his school in Bournemouth, Dorset.

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