BANBURY cricketers held a minute’s silence before their matches on Saturday in tribute to their former scorer Rod Clarke, who died last week at the age of 74.

‘Nobby’ Clarke, who scored for Oxfordshire as well as Bicester & North Oxford and Banbury for a total of more than 20 years, died at his home in Bernwood Road, Bicester, after a long illness.

The highlight of his career came in 2006 when he scored in the Test match between England and Pakistan at Lord’s where he looked after the tourists’ book.

Clarke, who worked for British Rail, scored for Bicester before the amalgamation with North Oxford in 1996 and then succeeded Keith Brighton as scorer for both Oxfordshire and Banbury.

His funeral will be held at Banbury Crematorium on Friday, September 8 (1pm)

l An obituary will appear in the Oxford Mail on Thursday.