ONE of the members of Plymstock’s 1973 Devon League winning team has died at the age of 83.

Bob Dowding topped the league bowling averages that season 23 wickets at an average of 11.13.He played in 12 of the 16 matches. 

Plymstock finished ahead of Exeter St Thomas to win the title. Defending champions Torquay were fourth.

Plymstock, captained by Adrian Pate in 1973, were the only side other than Torquay or Exeter to win the tile in the 1970s.

Dowding played in the first four seasons (1972-1975) of the Devon League and took exactly 100 wickets. 

“Bob was a big man – he would have made a good rugby forward – who bowled lively medium pacers off a short run,” said Pate.

“Bob wasn’t the quickest in the field, but was a good catcher in the slips.

“He joined us in the early 1960s and finished playing in 1975.

“For a number of years he was a regular visitor to the club on a Saturday.

“Bob was a lecturer in electrical engineering at Manadon Naval College, which was a bonus for us as anything electrical that went wrong he generally sorted out.”

Bob Dowding leaves a wife and a son David, who played cricket for Plymstock prior to joining the police. His funeral is at Efford Crematorium, Plymouth on Monday, August 1 at 9.30am.

Take a trip down Memory Lane to the early days of the Devon Senior with Plymstock's Colin Gill - click here