The Twelfth Man 2014

! 10 T he%old%church%of%St%Cuthbert,%dating% back%to%medieval%times%was%literally% packed%to%the%doors,%all%seats%filled%well% before%the%coffin%bearing%the%body%of% Graham%Barry%Stevenson%arrived% accompanied%by%his%loving%wife,%Angie% his%son%Christopher,%daughter%Cheryl,% their%families%and%a%whole%host%of% relations%and%close%friends.%The%Funeral% service%conducted%by%the%Rector,%Rev% Paul%Hartley,%followed%tributes%by%Chris% Old,%Graham’s%colleague%when%playing% for%England%and%Jim%Love,%a%Yorkshire% teammate.%% They%gave%examples%of%his%personality% as%well%of%course%of%his%exceptional% talent.%A%letter%was%read%from%Geoffrey% Boycott,%a%lifelong%friend%and%mentor% who%was%away%in%Africa.%The%Rector% joked%‘follow%that’%before%outlining% Graham’s%life%in%the%village%he%loved,% where%he%was%raised%by%his% grandparents,%Mae%and%Dick,%and% where%he%fell%in%love%with%Angie%at%the% age%of%11%a%romance%which%lased%a% lifetime.%% % An%example%of%Graham’s%wit%when%once%asked%by%Angie%“Would%he%want% to%be%buried%or%cremated?”%% The%answer,%so%typical%of%him,%“Surprise%me.”% Inside%the%Church%there%was%a%great%number%of%his%former%colleagues% Dickie%Bird,%President%of%WCLS,%told%us%of%the%way%a%very%young%Graham% had%been%a%regular%at%the%Society’s%coaching%nets,%although%it%was% obvious%to%all%that%he%had%outstanding%natural%talent.%Indeed,%his%friend% from%the%very%earliest%days,%Geoffrey%Boycott,%had%to%’pull%out%the%stops’% in%persuading%him%his%future%lay%in%cricket,%rather%than%with%Sheffield% Wednesday,%a%club%he%loved%all%his%life,%or%Doncaster%Rovers%for%whom%he% had%trials.%A%poem%by%Gavin%Edwards%read%by%John%Atha%brought% FAREWELL'STEVO' Ackworth CC’s George Hepworth pays homage to the late, great Graham Stevenson Graham Stevenson made two Test appearances for England and played in four One Day internationals ! Record: Stevenson joined Geoffrey Boycott and forged a Yorkshire record 10 th wicket stand against Warwickshire at Edgbaston !