Back
FEBRUARY
12, 2008
DEVON'S
cricket community has suffered another significant loss
with the death of John Tozer, who was 63. He had been
fighting cancer for the past couple of years. His death
comes hard on the heels of the passing of another ex-Devon
player and committeeman Ted Crowe,
whose funeral took place last Friday.
John Tozer (pictured, right)
played his entire club cricket career with Exmouth,
whom he first captained in 1972 and 1973, and was a
prolific 1 st XI opening batsman from the 1960s through
to the early 1980s. 
In the days before league cricket took centre stage,
Tozer would regularly score more than 1,000 runs a season
in all matches. His best season was 1971 when
he hit six centuries in a grand total of 1572 runs at
an average of 45.
In 1973, a year after league cricket came in, Tozer
belted a hefty total of 1,521 runs with a top score
of 147 not out against Mendip Acorns. Tozer scored five
tons that summer. The others were against Sidmouth,
Taunton, Tavistock and Taunton Deane.
During the game against Mendip Acorns, Tozer and Bob
Harriott shared in what was then a post-war record stand
of 271 for the second wicket.
“We were nought for one when I went in and we both went
on to make hundreds,” said Harriott, who was unbeaten
on 112 at the declaration.
“I scored a lot of runs over many years in partnerships
with John, who is going to be missed terribly.
“He was quiet if you didn't know him, a real gentle
man in many ways, but very determined about his cricket.
“Underneath that shy and reserved exterior was a wonderful,
wonderful man, with whom I had many good times, on the
field and off it.”
Devon secretary Geoff Evans was an opponent of Tozer's
with Exeter and a team-mate when he moved to Exmouth
later in his career. Later still, Tozer was to serve
as county treasurer from 1991 right up to his death.
Evans remembers Tozer the player as a stubborn opponent
with a happy knack of scoring runs.
“John would be the first to admit he wasn't the most
stylish player, but he thought about what he was doing
and was efficient at scoring runs for many, many years,”
said Evans.
“When he came in to bat you wouldn't be concerned about
him hitting the ball on to the beach, but woe betide
you if he got settled.
“John thought about his cricket and was good at working
out what shots to play in particular conditions. If
the ball was keeping low, he wouldn't to pull it through
mid-wicket.
“John would carry on batting in his calm, measured way
and that was how he scored so many hundreds; they would
creep up on hour almost un-noticed because he wasn't
at all flashy.”
Bob Staddon, an opponent for Exeter and a fixture in
the county side from 1968-78 said: “John was a wonderful
servant of Exmouth Cricket Club.
“We played many matches against each other in the ‘Battles
of the Exes' during the 70s and 80s.
“John was a great accumulator of runs at the beginning
of the innings and never gave his wicket away.
“He was a lovely, quietly spoken man. A real competitor
on the field and a tremendous worker for both Exmouth
and Devon CCC in later years .
“He
will be sadly missed.”
Former Exmouth chairman Jim Wood, now chairman of the
Devon Cricket Board, said Tozer's calm and measured
attitude made him such and asset to club and county
for so many years
“John was a good influence on whatever he did, which
for Exmouth and Devon cricket was a huge amount,” said
Wood.
“The whole family, John, his wife Lynda, who was my
first treasurer when I became chairman, Jeremy and Rachel
are part of the fabric of Exmouth cricket club and have
all worked hard for it.
“John was a lovely man and we will all miss him down
at Exmouth.”
John and Lynda were married for more than 36
years. "They married in October 1971, after the
cricket season was over, naturally," said daughter
Rachel.
Roger Moylan-Jones, the chairman Devon County Cricket
Club, inherited John Tozer as his treasurer when he
was appointed in 1997. He said he had been fortunate
to have such an able colleague dealing with finance
at a time of great upheaval for Minor Counties.
"All of us at the county club are deeply saddened
by the news of John's death,” said Moylan-Jones.
“His hard work as our treasurer has played a vital part
in the success and stability of the club over the last
two decades, and no-one could have asked for a more
dedicated and dependable colleague.
“They have been testing times for the Minor Counties,
not the least in financial terms,with all the funding
changes following the introduction of county cricket
boards under the ECB.
“In such circumstances it is a blessing for any chairman
and club to be able to rest assured that their controller
of the privy purse is on top of the job. In John we
have had one of the best.
“Our deepest sympathies go to his wife Lynda and his
family. I am particularly pleased that the family connection
continues through John's daughter Rachel, who joined
the county club committee last year.”
Amazingly for someone with his track record as a run
scorer, Tozer only made one Minor Counties appearance
for Devon. He opened the batting against Berkshire at
the start of the 1972 season – regular opener
John Tolliday wasn't available – scored three
and a duck and was never picked again.
“In those days it was harder to get out of the county
side that get into it,” said Evans (pictured
left) .
“He wasn't as flash as some of the other players around,
but I have no doubt he would have scored just as many
Minor County runs as most and more than a few of the
others.”
John was an all-round sportsman who played rugby
as a young man, tennis with Exmouth LTC and badminton
as a member of the Cranford Club.
John Tozer's funeral will take place at the Exeter &
Devon Crematorium, Topsham Road, Exeter on Thursday,
February 21 at 11.30am. Refreshments will be served
afterwards at Exmouth CC.
Family flowers only, but donations can be made in John's
memory to Exmouth and Lympstone Hospicecare. Donations
can be made via Richard Gegg funeral directors in Exmouth.
Send
your tribute to John Tozer by clicking
here
Read
tributes to John Tozer
