Northants to host Curran memorial match

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Wantage Road will this summer host a 12-over memorial match in the honour of former Northamptonshire all-rounder Kevin Curran, who died at the age of 53 late last year.

Curran, who also played for Gloucestershire and retired in 1999, was serving as Zimbabwe selector and coach of Mashonaland Eagles when he collapsed while jogging in October.

Kevin Curran bats for Northamptonshire during his playing days. The county are set to host a memorial match in his honour following his death last year

His death shocked and devastated the cricketing world, particularly his former clubs. They have joined forces in arranging a contest between a Northamptonshire XI and Gloucestershire XI on Sunday, July 14.

The encounter, during which money will be raised for the British Heart Foundation, takes place at 11am, four hours prior to the Steelbacks’ Friends Life t20 match against Glamorgan.

It has been organised by Curran’s former team-mate Alan Fordham, who is also running the London Marathon in an effort to raise funds for the charity. All money generated will go towards Fordham’s overall efforts.

He said: “The Northamptonshire dressing room that I enjoyed for many years lost its first member in Kevin Curran.

“A popular member of the team, I set about organising this memorial match in Kevin's honour and have managed to get together two teams from his playing days.

“We are planning a fundraising lunch between the two matches and a bucket collection around what should be a decent crowd for the afternoon match if the sun shines.

“I am of course most grateful to Northamptonshire and my former team-mates for their support of this fundraising effort.”

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