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[Cricket] RIP The Village Bradman, Brian Huffer



hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,295
Chandlers Ford
Last week we lost my Dad, Brian Huffer, once referred to on here as The Village Bradman.

Sharing on here, because plenty will have known him either at the Amex (Bupa Lounge), in the 60’s and 70’s as a fine footballer (Pulborough / Storrington / County side) but more likely over 5 decades playing amateur cricket through Sussex.

[MENTION=29192]Brighton Lines[/MENTION] [MENTION=20]Publius Ovidius[/MENTION] and others will have known him playing for Patcham / Patcham Priory in the Brighton League, but lots more will have known him as the bedrock of Parham Park Cricket Club for 50 years (1966 to 2015)

29,000 runs, on Sundays alone. Probably 20,000 of them from his go-to late cut.

Fine talent. Wonderful man. Going to be desperately missed.

[tweet]1313056488424865792[/tweet]

His funeral is this coming Monday. So sad that the cursed covid situation, means that he will be denied the kind of send-off he so deserved, but there will be some form of web-link for those who can’t be accommodated. Anyone who knew him and wants those details, can pm me.

The family invite donations to the wonderful folk at the Martlets, in his honour.

https://brianpaulhuffer.muchloved.com
 










Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,287
Shit news - very sorry to hear x
 




Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
23,540
Very sad to hear of this news, and firstly my thoughts go to you and yours [MENTION=3566]hans kraay fan club[/MENTION]

Everyone on the village circuit knew that to defeat Parham Park you had to have a plan to get Brian out. The only problem was that there wasn't one. You needed an error.

We did win on the one occasion I played against him, somehow limiting him to a paltry 30. Higher than most of our averages. He'd averaged 100 the previous year.

I did well as a bowler on the village circuit but was punished by Brian during that match. I was young and looking forward to putting him in his place- which in this case was master to my student. I remember slightly over-pitching and seeing the ball cruising to the mid-off boundary. His batting was old school, no exaggerated shots, neat footwork, side-on, ruthless through the off-side. He just accumulated runs in his understated manner. He was a giant of the village game who, despite being so revered, was also very understated in character. He was just another player in his team. I got a sense of humility from him. He simply loved playing cricket.

Names come and go in Sunday cricket, but Brian's name will always remain, for all the right reasons, and also for the fact that he was the Village Bradman. He may have been Parham Park's finest opening bat, but when one thinks of Sunday cricket, especially in what seems like its twilight years, he is also one of its greatest names.

RIP.
 




















Biffer

Active member
Jul 13, 2003
667
How terribly sad. Lovely man.
My wife used to work with your mum for many years.
Heartfelt condolences to your whole family.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
 








seagull_special

Well-known member
Jun 9, 2008
2,931
Abu Dhabi
My condolences, sport is not all about superstars and million pound contracts, it’s also about people who love sport and contribute to clubs and their community. He sounds like a great man.
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
34,131
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
RIP and huge condolences to you and your family. As Brighton Lines and Chicken Run have noted, everyone in Sussex cricket either seemed to know him or know of his reputation!
 




The Clamp

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 11, 2016
24,506
West is BEST
Sorry to hear this. My condolences. He sounds like he was a fine man.
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
Condolences and so sad that a proper send off is not possible in these times
 


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