by Mike Vimpany

Local cricket has been stunned by the sudden death of Easton & Martyr Worthy all-rounder and captain Steve Green, fondly known as ‘Badger’.

A naturally gifted cricketer, capable of match-winning performances either through his dominant batting or left-arm spin bowling, he played for Easton for over 30 years and was a real character both on and off the field.

He died suddenly, aged 44 years, after returning to his Winchester home having just completed a lengthy early morning shift at the family taxi business.

One of the Winchester area’s best known cricketers, Steve Green had been at the forefront of Easton & Martyr Worthy’s rise through the Hampshire League into the Southern Premier League in 2001 and the club’s frequent successes in the National Village Championship.

Under his leadership, Easton won countless Hampshire county village ‘titles’ and in 2006, led the team to the semi-finals of the Village Cup and to within one match of a Lord’s final.

Fiercely competitive and often at odds with officialdom, he wore his heart on his sleeve when he was playing and cared deeply about the Easton club, for whom he debuted as an 11-year old and later went on to captain for many years.

A player who never gave in against the odds, Steve learned his trade under the watchful eye of his father Chris and alongside his equally talented brother Shaun, a technically gifted batsman and right-arm medium-pace bowler.

He became a formidable presence in local cricket. While batting, he frequently punished anything over-pitched, sending sixes soaring over the boundary rope and winning games off his own back, sometimes from tricky positions.

In Southern League cricket alone, he made 29 half-centuries, twice scoring hundreds.

A prodigious left-arm spinner of the ball, he captured over 250 SPL wickets, taking five-wicket hauls on eight occasions.

In all the cricket he played over three decades, those figures would have been multiplied countless times over.

A genuinely likeable guy who lived for his cricket, he would always be leading from the front in the thick of battle on the field, but be the first to share a beer with opponents after.

Latterly, he continued playing as often as he could and was ever-present at Easton’s matches.

Long term team-mate Dave Birch reflected: “If he wasn’t out in the middle, he would be supporting Easton & Martyr Worthy, the club he loved and cared for so much, from the sidelines.

“Steve would always make himself available to the younger generation to pass on his experience and vast knowledge of the game.”

In Steve Green, local cricket has lost a real character, and Easton has lost an inspirational leader and arguably their greatest naturally gifted talent … at 44 years of age, far too early.

Steve leaves behind his partner Lin, son Joel and stepson Ethan and will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

A celebration of Steve Green’s life will take place at the Basingstoke Crematorium on Friday February 24 at 3.30pm and afterwards at Easton & Martyr Worthy CC.