CRICKET/Death of Ian Lewis: Former Ireland cricket international and well-known administrator Ian Lewis died suddenly at his home in Dublin on Saturday at the age of 69.
A member of YMCA Cricket Club in Dublin, Lewis was one of the leading batsmen in the country throughout a playing career that spanned 36 seasons.
He played 357 senior matches for YMCA, amassing more than 8,500 runs and eight centuries. He also played for some years with Cork County CC at the Mardyke when his work took him to Munster. He made his international debut against the MCC at Lord's in 1955 and won the last of his 20 caps against Canada in Toronto in 1973. He also played 44 times for South Leinster at interprovincial level, scoring 1,127 runs at an average of 32.20.
Perhaps the highlight of his international career came in College Park in 1963 against a formidable West Indies team that included the likes of Charlie Griffiths and Conrad Hunte. Lewis scored 41 out of Ireland's 62 total, an innings that included two big sixes off legendary Jamaican left-arm spinner Alf Valentine.
In recent years, Lewis turned his talents and dedication to administration, representing YMCA on the Leinster Cricket Union for many years.
He was LCU president from 1982-84 and elected Irish Cricket Union president in 1989.
He continued to support the game long after retiring as a player and followed the national side on many tours and tournaments as far away as Malaysia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. His son, Alan, is Ireland's most capped cricketer and is an international rugby referee. Indeed, when his father took ill on Saturday, Alan was in Hampden Park taking charge of the Scotland versus Australia Test.
In October, Lewis's enormous contribution to Irish cricket, both on and off the field, was recognised at the annual dinner of the LCU when he was inducted into Leinster's Hall of Fame.
Lewis is survived by his wife, Ida, son Alan and daughter Nicola. He will also be sadly missed by his many friends at YMCA Cricket Club, Wanderers RFC, the Hibernian Catch Club, Carrickmines Golf Club and will be remembered with fondness at cricket grounds all over Ireland and beyond.
