A MAN who was a stalwart of Dunfermline Cricket Club for more than 30 years has died aged 84 following a lengthy illness.

Derek Wilson was a talented batsman, and no mean leg spinner, and played first team cricket soon after leaving school. He had two spells as skipper of Fifeshire in the Scottish Counties Championship, and was a president of the McKane Park club.

A heavy run scorer for Fife, he caught the eye of the national selectors and was unlucky not to be called up for Scotland duty at his peak, although he was later picked for the Scotland over 40s side.

He had a spell as chairman of the Scottish County Cricket Board and was highly regarded as an administrator.

Cricket was Derek’s main summer sport but he also enjoyed golf and was a member at Dunfermline and latterly at Elie GC. During the winter he played rugby at McKane Park with Dunfermline RFC and he later enjoyed refereeing. Having undergone national service in Korea, Derek began his working career as a quantity surveyor and ran his own business in Edinburgh for many years, only retiring at 75.

He and wife Margaret lived in Park Place in Dunfermline for many decades and latterly stayed in Elie. His commitment to cricket was summed up by current secretary of the new Dunfermline and Carnegie CC, Nancy Gibson, who said: “Derek was a very heavy run scorer for the club in the counties championship and well respected by all the leading sides in the country.

“Off the field he worked hard for the club and was a real stalwart.”

Derek, whose funeral will take place at Elie Church on Monday at 12.30pm, is survived by Margaret, daughters Judith, Kirsten and Catriona, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.