Colin Wright was a legend on and off the cricket pitch

The opening batsman, born in Newport in 1933, gave 70 years of service to his hometown club. First as batting stalwart, then in key committee roles including treasurer, then in charge of the club’s bar.

He also played football and rugby for the town, but cricket was his true passion and where his presence was most felt.

And the Audley Avenue club is this week in mourning after the death of a fondly remembered ‘elegant batsman’ and ‘hard-working, dedicated and loyal’ individual, aged 87, after a short illness.

Wright, a quiet and unassuming but proud man, has his place in Newport and Shropshire’s cricketing history secured after a couple of knocks had onlookers etching his name in the record books.

The most renowned of those are his 108 not out in an unbroken opening wicket stand of 219 for Newport in 1953. The effort, alongside his good friend Gerry Gladwell – who passed away in 2013 – stood as a club record for more than 30 years.

In 1956, when Wright showed his best form with the bat for Shropshire amid a fine decade in the county game, his 106 not out against Pakistan Eaglets went down as the county’s first ton, coming a few months after the county club’s formation.

But, those feats aside, it is his longevity of service to the club and local cricket as a whole that puts Wright – and wife of more than 55 years, Christine – into the dedicated category.

While a student at Adams Grammar School, Wright made his debut for Newport as a 14-year-old in 1947 against Market Drayton, coming in at No.10 and scoring five not out.

He was a fixture of the club’s teams for the next quarter of a century before injury unfortunately called time on his career in 1972 with 11 centuries and more than 100 50s under his belt.

Wright’s county career began in 1952 where he top-scored for Shropshire against Herefordshire at Kington with 48. His county cap followed two years later before some storming innings in 1956 – the year Shropshire were formed as a county club – including a 51 against Cheshire and the ton against the Pakistan visitors.

In the late 1950s, Wright, who worked as an engineer, had to balance his cricket – which featured the introduction of the Minor Counties League consisting of two-day matches – around two years of national service in the RAF and his engineering career.

But Wright’s service to Newport CC went well beyond his time at the crease.

He was elected honourary treasurer of the club in 1964 and would hold that position for a quarter of a century until 1989. He had also been vice-captain, junior coaching co-ordinator and is an honourary life member.

There was no escape from the game in the Wright household. Christine, who passed away a year or so before Colin’s death, was treasurer of the ladies’ committee for 36 years and particularly renowned for her legendary baking of hundreds of cakes, which would keep the stomachs of visiting clubs and players suitably satisfied season after season.

The husband and wife also manned the bar at Audley Avenue for two decades, on hand for private functions and parties that would run into the early hours.

They are survived by two children, Adrian and Suzanne, and three grandchildren, Jemma, Ben and Sarah. Their son-in-law Richard Lees is secretary at Shropshire CCC, ensuring local cricket still runs in the family.

Indeed, Colin and Christine revealed before their passing that their proudest moment was watching from the ropes as grandson Ben scored a century as captain of Shropshire Under-12s against Staffordshire six years ago.

“I think everyone at the club will be deeply saddened by Colin’s passing,” said Newport CC chairman Mike Atherton.

“He was a great stalwart of our club and has made a tremendous contribution both as a player and a club official, holding the position as treasurer for more than 30 years.

“Colin had been quite frail in recent months, but in good spirits.

“He stood down at the beginning of 2018 after an extensive and outstanding career, primarily at Newport.

“Colin was an elegant and gifted batsman capable of long innings and big scores.

“They have a grandson who plays at Bridgnorth, Ben Lees, and Colin and his wife Christine were very keen to support and watch him play cricket.

“It’s really sad, Colin was a really quiet, unassuming man but he was incredibly hard-working, dedicated and loyal chap. People like him don’t come along very often.

“Generally, and not just at the club, but the town of Newport will be a stranger place without people like Colin. He was quiet, but a character in his own right. He had a good life and a full life.”