Jeez that is too young to die 
Great player
YNWA
ASHES HERO GRAHAM DILLEY DIES, AGED 52
Former England fast bowler Graham Dilley has died aged 52 after a short illness.
The former Kent and Worcestershire bowler played 41 Tests and 36 one-day internationals for England during a ten-year international career which included two Ashes wins in 1981 and 1986-87.
One of the quickest bowlers of his generation, he took 138 Test wickets at 29.78 but his best remembered contribution to the England cause came with the bat in the famous 1981 Ashes Test at Headingley. Dilley helped Ian Botham put on 117 runs for the eighth wicket in Leeds, after England had followed on in an apparently impossible position.
They went on to win the match by 18 runs on the back of Botham's 149 not out and Bob Willis' eight for 43..
After retiring, he moved into coaching and enjoyed spells as an Assistant Coach with England and bowling coach to the England Women's team before taking up a position as head cricket coach at Loughborough University.
ECB chief executive David Collier said: "Graham made a life-long contribution to the game of cricket at all levels and we are deeply saddened by the sad news this morning. He will be fondly remembered for his contributions both as a player and a coach.
"Graham inspired many young cricketers through the University programme and was a highly respected coach to our representative teams. Few will forget his contribution during the historic Ashes win at Headingley in 1981 and the part he played in two Ashes series victories. Graham will be sadly missed by all his friends throughout cricket and ECB sends our deepest condolences to Graham's family."
ECB managing director Hugh Morris said: "This is very sad news for Graham's many friends and colleagues in cricket, both in this country and overseas.
"As well as being a bowler of the highest class, Graham made an immense contribution to our game as a coach - and his ability to impart his knowledge and wisdom to future generations of young cricketers will be sorely missed."
Botham was shocked to hear the news that his friend had passed away.
"We only heard a few days ago how ill Graham was," he told Sky Sports News.
"They were saying it was very serious and they were talking maybe two weeks and he's gone in less than two days.
"We're all shocked that this can happen to someone who's 52. Very shocked."
And Botham, who joined Worcestershire at the same time as Dilley in arguably the county's most successful period during the late 1980s, paid tribute to his former team-mate.
"I've got so many fond memories of him. He ran in to bowl in the Caribbean, first ball, and the heel fell off his boot.
"Typical Graham he's only brought one pair with him on an England tour so there was panic there, but he was a fantastic cricketer who had a lot of talent.
"He was plagued with injuries, his neck and knees, which probably stopped him playing a lot more for England, but on his day he was the best.
"I had a lot of great times with him. He had a great sense of humour, he always wanted to be part of the party and join in.
"He was a good bloke to be around. He was quite quiet and reserved until you got to know him, he wasn't a great social person until you got to know him, but then he was the life and soul of the party.
"It's a very sad day."
Worcestershire chief executive David Leatherdale, who played alongside Dilley for the county, said the death of his former team-mate was "a sad loss".
"It's come very much as a shock to the club and to a lot of individuals at the club," Leatherdale said on Sky Sports News.
"Graham was a major part of the success the club had in the late 1980s.
"We only really found out he was ill to the level he has been two or three days ago, so it's come as a major shock."
Leatherdale added: "There are fond memories personally and from the club as well.
"He will be a sad loss to the club."
As well as his stints on the England staff, Dilley was a Loughborough MCC
Universities coach and helped the likes of Monty Panesar emerge as international
class.
MCC head of cricket John Stephenson, the former Essex and Hampshire batsman, got to know Dilley well in their playing days, which overlapped.
Stephenson was also appreciative of Dilley's work as a coach, and said: "I'm extremely sad to hear of Graham's death.
"He was a world-class bowler who I played against many times and he became a very good friend.
"As a coach, he made a huge impact as part of the MCC Universities programme; he was central to the progress made at Loughborough over the last decade and he will be much missed by all of us at the club.''
Dilley's former Worcestershire captain Phil Neale remembers the Test bowler as a "great servant" to the club, during a time of high achievement for the county.
Neale, who has gone on to be England's long-serving team manager, points out that - although (Ian) Botham's arrival from Somerset dominated the headlines as Worcestershire's big signing - Dilley's presence was equally important.
"I'm very sad to see him go. He was a great servant to Worcestershire,'' he said. "He was a big part of Worcestershire's success in that five-year period he was with the club.
"A lot of attention went to Ian, when he came at the same time, and I don't think a lot of people realised what an impact Graham had.''
Neale was particularly struck by Dilley's professionalism on and off the field - a characteristic brought home to him when the strike bowler approached his captain at an early-season chairman's barbecue in 1988 to discuss the key fixtures for the remainder of the summer.
Worcestershire, also a major force at the time in all the limited-overs competitions, went on to win the county championship that year.
"He was playing with injuries, but was always reading the game and working out - helping me - when I might need him to bowl.
"He has this reputation as a laid-back guy. But he had taken the time to try to map it all out - just what you want to see, as a captain, from your major players.''
What They Said:
Stuart Broad: "Very sad to hear about Graham Dilley. Wonderful fast bowler and lovely man. 52 is too young. RIP."
Monty Panesar: "So sad to hear my uni coach passed away graham dilley,great man and top coach did a lot for me ,will miss him."
Kevin Pietersen: "What an amazing guy Graham Dilley was.. Always smiling & always helping spread his knowledge about our great game."
Great player
YNWA
ASHES HERO GRAHAM DILLEY DIES, AGED 52
Former England fast bowler Graham Dilley has died aged 52 after a short illness.
The former Kent and Worcestershire bowler played 41 Tests and 36 one-day internationals for England during a ten-year international career which included two Ashes wins in 1981 and 1986-87.
One of the quickest bowlers of his generation, he took 138 Test wickets at 29.78 but his best remembered contribution to the England cause came with the bat in the famous 1981 Ashes Test at Headingley. Dilley helped Ian Botham put on 117 runs for the eighth wicket in Leeds, after England had followed on in an apparently impossible position.
They went on to win the match by 18 runs on the back of Botham's 149 not out and Bob Willis' eight for 43..
After retiring, he moved into coaching and enjoyed spells as an Assistant Coach with England and bowling coach to the England Women's team before taking up a position as head cricket coach at Loughborough University.
ECB chief executive David Collier said: "Graham made a life-long contribution to the game of cricket at all levels and we are deeply saddened by the sad news this morning. He will be fondly remembered for his contributions both as a player and a coach.
"Graham inspired many young cricketers through the University programme and was a highly respected coach to our representative teams. Few will forget his contribution during the historic Ashes win at Headingley in 1981 and the part he played in two Ashes series victories. Graham will be sadly missed by all his friends throughout cricket and ECB sends our deepest condolences to Graham's family."
ECB managing director Hugh Morris said: "This is very sad news for Graham's many friends and colleagues in cricket, both in this country and overseas.
"As well as being a bowler of the highest class, Graham made an immense contribution to our game as a coach - and his ability to impart his knowledge and wisdom to future generations of young cricketers will be sorely missed."
Botham was shocked to hear the news that his friend had passed away.
"We only heard a few days ago how ill Graham was," he told Sky Sports News.
"They were saying it was very serious and they were talking maybe two weeks and he's gone in less than two days.
"We're all shocked that this can happen to someone who's 52. Very shocked."
And Botham, who joined Worcestershire at the same time as Dilley in arguably the county's most successful period during the late 1980s, paid tribute to his former team-mate.
"I've got so many fond memories of him. He ran in to bowl in the Caribbean, first ball, and the heel fell off his boot.
"Typical Graham he's only brought one pair with him on an England tour so there was panic there, but he was a fantastic cricketer who had a lot of talent.
"He was plagued with injuries, his neck and knees, which probably stopped him playing a lot more for England, but on his day he was the best.
"I had a lot of great times with him. He had a great sense of humour, he always wanted to be part of the party and join in.
"He was a good bloke to be around. He was quite quiet and reserved until you got to know him, he wasn't a great social person until you got to know him, but then he was the life and soul of the party.
"It's a very sad day."
Worcestershire chief executive David Leatherdale, who played alongside Dilley for the county, said the death of his former team-mate was "a sad loss".
"It's come very much as a shock to the club and to a lot of individuals at the club," Leatherdale said on Sky Sports News.
"Graham was a major part of the success the club had in the late 1980s.
"We only really found out he was ill to the level he has been two or three days ago, so it's come as a major shock."
Leatherdale added: "There are fond memories personally and from the club as well.
"He will be a sad loss to the club."
As well as his stints on the England staff, Dilley was a Loughborough MCC
Universities coach and helped the likes of Monty Panesar emerge as international
class.
MCC head of cricket John Stephenson, the former Essex and Hampshire batsman, got to know Dilley well in their playing days, which overlapped.
Stephenson was also appreciative of Dilley's work as a coach, and said: "I'm extremely sad to hear of Graham's death.
"He was a world-class bowler who I played against many times and he became a very good friend.
"As a coach, he made a huge impact as part of the MCC Universities programme; he was central to the progress made at Loughborough over the last decade and he will be much missed by all of us at the club.''
Dilley's former Worcestershire captain Phil Neale remembers the Test bowler as a "great servant" to the club, during a time of high achievement for the county.
Neale, who has gone on to be England's long-serving team manager, points out that - although (Ian) Botham's arrival from Somerset dominated the headlines as Worcestershire's big signing - Dilley's presence was equally important.
"I'm very sad to see him go. He was a great servant to Worcestershire,'' he said. "He was a big part of Worcestershire's success in that five-year period he was with the club.
"A lot of attention went to Ian, when he came at the same time, and I don't think a lot of people realised what an impact Graham had.''
Neale was particularly struck by Dilley's professionalism on and off the field - a characteristic brought home to him when the strike bowler approached his captain at an early-season chairman's barbecue in 1988 to discuss the key fixtures for the remainder of the summer.
Worcestershire, also a major force at the time in all the limited-overs competitions, went on to win the county championship that year.
"He was playing with injuries, but was always reading the game and working out - helping me - when I might need him to bowl.
"He has this reputation as a laid-back guy. But he had taken the time to try to map it all out - just what you want to see, as a captain, from your major players.''
What They Said:
Stuart Broad: "Very sad to hear about Graham Dilley. Wonderful fast bowler and lovely man. 52 is too young. RIP."
Monty Panesar: "So sad to hear my uni coach passed away graham dilley,great man and top coach did a lot for me ,will miss him."
Kevin Pietersen: "What an amazing guy Graham Dilley was.. Always smiling & always helping spread his knowledge about our great game."
I saw this earlier, christ I grew up on the likes of him defreitas, small, edmonds, embury etc 
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