‘I knew from his days as a tiny, chirpy wicketkeeper that Gary Wilson was going to reach top of Irish cricket’

“It was the summer of 1999 when I first saw the precocious talent that was Gary Wilson.

“I was captaining an experienced Waringstown third eleven in the Lindsay Minor Cup final at Ballymena’s Eaton Park against a North of Ireland side that had been ravaged by the decline in the once-dominant force in the NCU game.

“It was a one-sided final but I remembered that day for one player in the opposition, a tiny young teenage wicketkeeper who did plenty of chirping behind the stumps. Fortunately for a young Gary Wilson, he could back up the chat with some fine wicketkeeping, diving spectacularly down the leg side when he stood back and showing real class standing up to the stumps.

“Waringstown won that final at a canter by 10 wickets, but our respective cricketing careers soon went in very different directions, his to a career as a professional while I took a wise course by concentrating on writing.

“However, there was still time for us to lock horns again in a second eleven match at Ormeau a couple of years later. It was one of the final matches at Ormeau before the iconic ground made way for a supermarket development and by that stage Gary had grown more than a couple of inches.

“He might not remember, but after batting beautifully, he took off the wicketkeeping gloves to bowl his less heralded medium pacers. His bowling ultimately the difference in a tight match, he was canny enough to run me out with a direct hit. He always had a combative streak - we exchanged views that day - but you need that to succeed in a tough professional environment.

“What has always impressed me is that when Gary went on to enjoy more than a decade with English cricket’s premier county side, Surrey, he never lost touch with his roots. North folded and became Belfast Harlequins and later Civil Service North, but he returned home to play when he could.

“I’m proud to say I played against him.”

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