Tony Izzard is set to play his farewell innings, bowl his last ball and make his final umpiring decision next Thursday lunchtime, 1.45pm.
Portchester Crematorium is expected to be packed as cricket pays a lasting tribute to one of the all-time greats of the Combined Services, Royal Navy and United Services, who died last month, aged 70, after a short illness.
In a tribute, Rear Admiral Roger Moylan-Jones RN, reflected: “Tony made a massive contribution to Navy and Services cricket whilst he was serving, which continued of course, thereafter both as a player for US Portsmouth and then as an umpire in senior recreational cricket circles.
“I was a great admirer of his dedication to the game, and of his considerable all round skills which he consistently strived to improve - he was an extremely accomplished performer in a game he loved
“I knew Tony since he was first breaking in to the Navy side, and over the years we played together in many Navy and Combined Services teams; we last played together in the mid 1980s for an HMS Daedalus side, when I was in Command, which won the Navy Cup.”
Rear Admiral Roger Moylan-Jones was a long time Services team-mate of Tony Izzard and is now president of Devon CCC, for whom he played Minor Counties cricket.
Tony, who began service life aboard HMS St Vincent, the Gosport-based shore establishment in 1967, was a prolific player for the Royal Navy and Combined Services over a 16-year period from 1973 to 1989 before becoming a hugely respected umpire for both RN and CS, as well as across the Southern Premier League.
Promoted to Officer rank as a Lt Cdr in 1979, he spent 25 years in the Senior Service, though little of it at sea !
Portchester Crematorium is expected to be packed as cricket pays a lasting tribute to one of the all-time greats of the Combined Services, Royal Navy and United Services, who died last month, aged 70, after a short illness.
In a tribute, Rear Admiral Roger Moylan-Jones RN, reflected: “Tony made a massive contribution to Navy and Services cricket whilst he was serving, which continued of course, thereafter both as a player for US Portsmouth and then as an umpire in senior recreational cricket circles.
“I was a great admirer of his dedication to the game, and of his considerable all round skills which he consistently strived to improve - he was an extremely accomplished performer in a game he loved
“I knew Tony since he was first breaking in to the Navy side, and over the years we played together in many Navy and Combined Services teams; we last played together in the mid 1980s for an HMS Daedalus side, when I was in Command, which won the Navy Cup.”
Rear Admiral Roger Moylan-Jones was a long time Services team-mate of Tony Izzard and is now president of Devon CCC, for whom he played Minor Counties cricket.
Tony, who began service life aboard HMS St Vincent, the Gosport-based shore establishment in 1967, was a prolific player for the Royal Navy and Combined Services over a 16-year period from 1973 to 1989 before becoming a hugely respected umpire for both RN and CS, as well as across the Southern Premier League.
Promoted to Officer rank as a Lt Cdr in 1979, he spent 25 years in the Senior Service, though little of it at sea !
 Royal Navy Inter-Services champions 1982 |  United Services 1984 [The News] |
An imposing all-rounder, he played 50 matches for CS, scoring almost 1,500 and recording a fine century against Oxford University on his ‘home ground’ of Burnaby Road in 1984.
He captained the Royal Navy on numerous occasions, helping them win the Inter-Services Championships several times.
Tony was a very clean striker of a cricket ball and opposition sides were always conscious any total or target was gettable while he remained at the crease.
In the field, he was a brilliant catcher at slip or in the outfield, and a very useful right-arm medium-pace bowler, who latterly turned to off-spin.
Alongside sibling brother Mike, he played his early club cricket for Hayling Island (as an 11-year old) before the Izzard family moved to South Yorkshire and a quickly emerging Tony played for Sheffield United CC.
He captained the Royal Navy on numerous occasions, helping them win the Inter-Services Championships several times.
Tony was a very clean striker of a cricket ball and opposition sides were always conscious any total or target was gettable while he remained at the crease.
In the field, he was a brilliant catcher at slip or in the outfield, and a very useful right-arm medium-pace bowler, who latterly turned to off-spin.
Alongside sibling brother Mike, he played his early club cricket for Hayling Island (as an 11-year old) before the Izzard family moved to South Yorkshire and a quickly emerging Tony played for Sheffield United CC.
Tony (left) and brother Mike Izzard preparing to umpire at Burnaby Road, Portsmouth.
Upon his return to the south coast, Tony played for South Hants Touring Club before joining United Services upon their entry to league cricket in 1979.
He became a stalwart of the United Services club, captaining the Burnaby Road club for eight seasons and playing in 121 matches in the Hampshire and then Southern Premier League before turning his attention to umpiring on and off the field, standing in many RN, CS and SPCL matches whilst also being a leading member of the Hampshire ACO where he contributed through officials education and training.
A fine and highly respected cricketer, Tony became an excellent umpire.
You could tell from the way he officiated that he had played the game at a high level and understood what was going on around him on the field. Captains always found him a pleasure to work with: just the right level of authority.
Most players would never dream of taking a liberty with him, but he was very human with it and never forgot what it was like to be on the players’ side of the fence.
When not being involved ‘in the middle’ Tony managed the Burnaby Road catering for many years, always a cheerful face behind the bar ready to chat cricket at the first opportunity. He was one part of a remarkable double-act with his wife, who produced arguably the finest cricket lunches and teas around.
Tony was also a decent footballer, representing Hampshire Grammar Schools (while at Price’s School, Fareham) and both Gosport Borough and Portsmouth RN, under the late Denis '4-2-4' Probee.
His funeral will take place at 1.45pm (13:45) on Thursday 6 December 2018 at Portchester Crematorium (PO16 8NE) and afterwards at the United Services Rugby Club at Burnaby Road in Portsmouth.
The family has decided that there will be no flowers for Tony at his funeral, but Help for Heroes is suggested as a suitable organisation for donations.
For those who plan to attending the funeral, the family has requested that bright Military Sporting ties or, preferably, cricketing ties will be very apt for the celebration of the life of Tony Izzard, a hugely respected sportsman who put back into cricket as much, if not more, than he took out of it. Above all, perhaps, he was a top bloke !
He became a stalwart of the United Services club, captaining the Burnaby Road club for eight seasons and playing in 121 matches in the Hampshire and then Southern Premier League before turning his attention to umpiring on and off the field, standing in many RN, CS and SPCL matches whilst also being a leading member of the Hampshire ACO where he contributed through officials education and training.
A fine and highly respected cricketer, Tony became an excellent umpire.
You could tell from the way he officiated that he had played the game at a high level and understood what was going on around him on the field. Captains always found him a pleasure to work with: just the right level of authority.
Most players would never dream of taking a liberty with him, but he was very human with it and never forgot what it was like to be on the players’ side of the fence.
When not being involved ‘in the middle’ Tony managed the Burnaby Road catering for many years, always a cheerful face behind the bar ready to chat cricket at the first opportunity. He was one part of a remarkable double-act with his wife, who produced arguably the finest cricket lunches and teas around.
Tony was also a decent footballer, representing Hampshire Grammar Schools (while at Price’s School, Fareham) and both Gosport Borough and Portsmouth RN, under the late Denis '4-2-4' Probee.
His funeral will take place at 1.45pm (13:45) on Thursday 6 December 2018 at Portchester Crematorium (PO16 8NE) and afterwards at the United Services Rugby Club at Burnaby Road in Portsmouth.
The family has decided that there will be no flowers for Tony at his funeral, but Help for Heroes is suggested as a suitable organisation for donations.
For those who plan to attending the funeral, the family has requested that bright Military Sporting ties or, preferably, cricketing ties will be very apt for the celebration of the life of Tony Izzard, a hugely respected sportsman who put back into cricket as much, if not more, than he took out of it. Above all, perhaps, he was a top bloke !
Lt Cdr Tony Izzard, RN : 1948-2018
