THE LATE HUGH CROFTON OF NEW FOREST CRICKET

New Forest cricket will say its farewells on Friday afternoon (St Nicholas Church, Brockenhurst, 3pm) to Hugh Crofton, an eccentric character who dedicated so much time and personal generosity to further the cause of youth cricket in the area from the early Fifties onwards.  He ran the Forest Wagtails cricket team (latterly Robins CC) besides running his own XI for the benefit of young players, mainly in the school holidays. After having done his Army national service, Hugh became a school teacher, taking English and sport. He had links with Brockenhurst and Burley and in his playing days was a wicketkeeper, noted for the large/long old style wicketkeeping pads he would wear.  Numerous cricketing tales abound about Hugh who died, aged 79 years, in a Fordingbridge nursing home last month.