All-rounder Carrick was one of Yorkshire's greatest

His tragic death this week at the age of 47 has robbed the county of one of its greatest sportsmen and Yorkshire of one of the most successful all-rounders in their long history.

'Fergie' Carrick will always be remembered for his outstanding achievement of leading Yorkshire to triumph in the Benson and Hedges Cup final of 1987 which was the first of his three seasons as captain.

The picture of Carrick holding the Cup aloft on the players' balcony at Lord's while acknowledging the cheers of the fans is one of the abiding memories of Yorkshire cricket over the past 30 years and there has certainly been no single occasion to equal it during that time.

But perhaps an event of even greater significance in Yorkshire's affairs was Carrick's letter to the general committee towards the end of the 1989 season which urged them to end the unwritten rule of playing only those cricketers born within the county.

It was the first time a member of the playing staff had dared to recommend such action without first consulting the membership - two referendums on the controversial subject having previously been rejected - and the committee at this stage were not bold enough to voice their approval.

There can be little doubt that Carrick's forthright letter was one of the main reasons why in December Yorkshire announced that Martyn Moxon would be taking over the captaincy the following season.

Knowing that I held similar views, Carrick had approached me on a rainy day at Chesterfield in late August and had told me of his intention to write to the committee in what had turned out to be another disappointing summer of under achievement.

Having listened to him carefully, I did the first draft of his letter for him and the one he eventually sent to Yorkshire spoke of his disappointment with results that season and continued: "The plain truth is that even with a full squad of players, we just about compete with other more progresive counties, as 1987 proved. Any injury at all to key players proves that with our 'Yorkshire Born' policy we do not compete on level terms and always have our backs to the wall.

"The other 16 counties either import oversea splayers or sign English cricketers who will complement their exiting staff.

"Whether we like it or not, sponsorship is the life blood of cricket these days and we will not add to our list of sponsors or retain existing ones unless we are seen to be successful and progressing. . .

"There is nothing that I and the other Yorkshire players would like more than Yorkshire to win competitions with a team composed solely of Yorkshiremen. But, realistically, this is not going to happen and I believe the time has come for the committee of this club to take stock of the situation and relax its Yorkshire-born only policy."

He concluded: "I ask you to consider these points not because I am indifferent to Yorkshire, but because, like you, I care passionately about it and am concerned about tomorrow.

"The time has come to grasp the nettle and replace the unwritten rule which limits us to Yorkshire born players only by a written rule which stipulates the 'minimum' number that will play.

"Let us preserve our identity by all means but let us make the adjustments required which will once again sit this club back amongst the front runners in English cricket."

Carrick's letter went much further than it appeared at the time towards breaking the ice and acknowledging that Yorkshire were approaching the 21st century.

When Sir Lawrence Byford took over as president in 1991 following the death of Sir Leonard Hutton, one of the first things he succeeded in doing was opening up the boundaries and in 1992 India's young star, Sachin Tendulkar, arrived as Yorkshire's first overseas player.

It was on-the-field, however, that Carrick will be remembered in the record books and from making his Yorkshire debut in 1970 until retirement was forced upon him at the end of 1993, he never gave less than his all for his beloved native county.

Although he initially won his place in the side as a young left-arm spinner of enormous promise, he was also more than useful with the bat and he went on to earn a place as one of Yorkshire's leading all-rounders.

Only a dozen bowlers have claimed more than Carrick's 1,018 first class wickets for Yorkshire and a further six runs would have made him only the fifth player in Yorkshire's history to have completed the rare double of 10,000 runs and 1,000 wickets, the exclusive list being comprised of Wilfred Rhodes, George Hirst, Schofield Haigh and Ray Illingworth.

It was his one big personal disappointment in almost a quarter of a century of active service that he fell just six short of 10,000 runs with Yorkshire - although he managed 10,300 in all forms of first class cricket.

With Yorkshire having signed left-armer Richard Stemp from Worcestershire for the start of the 1993 season - a move which Carrick's letter had helped to make possible - it was obvious that Carrick's days were numbered and that there would be few further opportunities.

He was chosen for the opening game against Cambridge University at Fenner's when he required 51 runs to reach his target but after not getting to the crease in the first innings he was specially promoted in the second but could only manage an unbeaten 16.

Carrick did not play again until the Roses match at Old Trafford in mid-August when he replaced the injured Stemp and here he scored 15 and nought.

In a last gasp-bid to get him to 10,000 Yorkshire chose him for the final game of the season against Surrey at The Oval but the elements conspired against him. After Surrey had made 359 for seven declared, Carrick opened the batting with David Byas and had made 14 out of a stand of 30 when rain washed out the remainder of the match.

He did hope that Yorkshire would give him one final game in 1994 against first class opponents but it did not happen.

My first season covering Yorkshire cricket for the Evening Press was in 1975 and this proved to be his most outstanding summer with the ball. picking up 79 wickets while his spin twin Geoff Cope captured 69 at the other end.

The pair were chiefly responsible for Yorkshire finishing second in the championship table, which remains their highest position since last winning the title in 1968, but it was to be another year before Carrick was finally trusted with his county cap.

Five times he took ten wickets or more in a match for Yorkshire and on 43 occasions he registered five or more victims in a single innings.

But one of his most memorable days occurred with the bat when he scored his maiden century in a classic Roses match at Headingley in May, 1978.

Lancashire had been bowled out for 123 on the first morning when Graham Stevenson grabbed eight wickets and David Bairstow - now also tragically gone - pouched five catches, but by lunch Yorkshire were in deep trouble themselves, having lost openers Richard Lumb and Bill Athey before either had scored.

Yorkshire were reeling at 49 for five when Carrick came in with giant West Indian pace merchant Colin Croft bowling a menacing length but Carrick survived the onslaught and went on to make 105, Yorkshire winning the match by an innings and 32 runs at five o'clock on the second afternoon.

When Carrick's days with Yorkshire drew to a close, he accepted the new challenge of leading Pudsey Congs in the Bradford League and he participated with all his old vigour and zeal until announcing his retirement from the playing arena on the eve of Yorkshire's Benson and Hedges Cup final against Gloucestershire at Lord's last August 1.

But cricket was still central to his life and on the way down to that final he told me that his ambition now was to get on the first class list of umpires and ultimately make it on to the Test panel.

Last summer was his second on the reserve list of umpires and he was already earning a good reputation for his fairness and his knowledge of the laws of the game.

He was looking forward to the future with enthusiasm but his illness did not respond to treatment as had been hoped.

His premature death is a tragedy for his wife Ellie and their two daughters, Emma and Philippa, and Yorkshire cricket is much the poorer for his passing.

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