NEWS of Fred Trueman's death brought tears to the eyes and lumps to the throats of some of the doughtiest, toughest and most resolute players in Yorkshire's history at Headingley on Saturday.

The likes of Bob Appleyard, Brian Close, Ray Illingworth and Geoff Boycott, all four of them legendary Yorkshire and England cricketers, were on the balcony of the executive suite watching England's one-day international with Sri Lanka when someone at the back said: "Fred's dead".

They already knew that Trueman, 75, was desperately ill in Airedale General Hospital with cancer but there was still a stunned silence as they felt the loss of a close friend, a loyal teammate and perhaps the greatest fast bowler that ever lived.

Other Yorkshire and England cricketers from the past, like Phil Sharpe and Geoff Cope, were also there, as was another former team-mate, Dickie Bird, who went on to become the most famous umpire in the world.

And away from Headingley were others who had strutted the stage with Trueman and had been part of that marvellous Yorkshire side of the late 50s and throughout the 60s, and none felt his death more keenly than the county's former fast bowler and cricket chairman, Bob Platt, who had shared the new ball with him on many occasions during those momentous times.

Quite simply, Fred Trueman, who lived in the sleepy hamlet of Flasby in his beloved Yorkshire Dales, scaled peaks which the modern generation of fast bowlers will never conquer.

As well as becoming the first player in the history of Test cricket to reach 300 wickets, he also claimed 1,745 first class victims at a mere 17.12 runs apiece for his native county between 1949-68 and throughout his first class career he captured 2,304 wickets, each costing him just 18.29 runs, and took 439 catches, many in his specialist position at backward short leg.

I was at Headingley on Saturday, just as I was as a boy in 1952 when Trueman made his dramatic entry into Test cricket on his home ground by taking three of India's wickets without cost as they lost four wickets before a run was on the board.

It was the start of a roller-coaster England career in which he played in 67 Test matches and took 307 wickets at 13.81 and he would have represented his country far more often if the rough-edged Tyke had not sometimes been cold-shouldered.

Yorkshire's Bradford-born president, Bob Appleyard, 82, himself one of the game's greatest bowlers, was entertaining his special guests at Headingley when he learned of Trueman's death.

It was a particularly hard blow to take because as well as sharing a famous cricketing past he had lost a friend and fellow worshipper over the past 17 years at the Priory at Bolton Abbey which they attended with their respective wives.

"My relationship with Fred goes back to the 1950s and on numerous occasions we opened the bowling together for Yorkshire," said Appleyard.

"I used to marvel at the way Fred could make the ball swing very late at his pace and I have seen very few bowlers in my career who were as good as he was.

"It was remarkable that in a career which spanned over 20 years he was hardly ever injured and there are very few today who can compare with his record at county or Test level.

"Even when coming towards the end of his career he was still able to get batsmen out by guile as much as sheer pace.

"It would be asking a lot for one of the present generation of bowlers to compare with Fred but I think that if someone could come along who uses Fred as an example they will not go far wrong."

Bob Platt, who took 282 wickets for Yorkshire with his inswingers, was one of Trueman's closest friends and confidants, and is proud of the fact that he was Trueman's most regular new-ball partner.

"It was incredible playing with Fred, he taught me how to bowl uphill and into the wind." said Platt.

"The first thing I would say is forget what Dickie Bird says about Australia's Dennis Lillee being the greatest ever bowler because Fred was better.

"I know I am a Yorkshireman talking about a Yorkshireman, but throw him the new ball at 5.30pm in 90 degrees of heat and he would still come in as hard and furious as if it were 11.30 in the morning and he was bright and fresh."

Former Yorkshire and England batsman, Phil Sharpe, said: "Fred was one of the all-time great fast bowlers and he was a wonderful character in the dressing room and outside of it. He will be very sadly missed."

Trueman, who later excelled on the after dinner speaking circuit, leaves a widow, Veronica, and three children from his first marriage.