All at Sefton Park Cricket Club and in the Merseyside and Cheshire cricket community were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ted Williams on Monday 4th August.
Edward David Williams was born on 11th April 1945, He was always known as Ted, in fact, he was one of those people who every one knew just as Ted.
He attended Liverpool College and kept up an association with them throughout his life and his coaching there often benefited Sefton Park Cricket Club allowing them to use the College facilities.
Ted first joined Sefton as a schoolboy in 1956 and played for the First XI from 1961, making his debut aged 16 at Wallasey. Apart from half a season playing for Heaton CC in the Bolton League, Ted continued to play for our club for the rest of his life.
He played in the side that won the Liverpool Competition in 1967 and then went on to captain the side that won the league in 1972, he was captain from 1972 to 1975.
Ted liked to do things young and in 1964, aged 19, married Liz, a wonderful partnership that seemed to thrive as the years went on on. They went to have three boys, Mark, Paul and Ian and he was proud of the picture on the club wall of a double century partnership between Paul and himself in a Rose Bowl game in 1987.
Ted was well known for his holidays in Menorca where he played for the island side against other Balearic islands. As a first team player, famously, he took a month's holiday, got off the plane and then played a big innings on the Saturday without any practice.
In recent years he played for Cheshire Over 60's achieved a hat trick in 2010, 44 years after his only other hat trick. He came on to bowl with Sussex needing 4 to win with three wickets left, the first ball went for four but then three wickets fell and Cheshire won, conceding less wickets.
Around 2016, Ted had a remarkable purple patch, playing for Cheshire over 60's he scored his highest score, apart form those scored in Menorca, of 158 not out against Somerset. He then came back to show how it was done and on the 15th August 2016 scored 120 not out (pictured left) for the Sefton Park Fourth XI against Prescot and Odyssey.
He went on to play for Cheshire over 70's and represented England in an over 70's Ashes series in 2016
Ted was chairman of the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition from 2005 to 2009 and was made a Vice President of the league in 2004.
After he had finished working as a property manager, Ted concentrated his efforts to coaching the junior section and the foundations that he has laid continue to be the basis of our successful juniors.
From 2011 until 2015, he was president of our club. One of his aims as president was to erect a three lane net facility. This was not achievable at this time but last year Ted was was proud to open the facility.
When asked when he was going to retire, Ted would say "when he was unfit to play". As ever, Ted was true to his word.
Our thoughts are with Liz, Mark, Paul, Ian and their families at this time