Another cricket tragedy as Umer Rashid is drowned

Just ten days after the death of Ben Hollioake in a car crash, English cricket has been hit by another tragedy. Umer Rashid, the 26 year-old Sussex left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner, has drowned while on a pre-season tour in Grenada. His brother, Burhan, also died in the same accident. Reports now indicate that Burhan had got into trouble whilst swimming in a pool below Concord Falls, a popular tourist spot. Umer attempted to rescue his brother but both were drowned.

Sussex had gone to the Caribbean to take part in a triangular tournament involving Northamptonshire and Yorkshire as part of their build-up to the English season. Rashid had taken part in the latest match against Northamptonshire which Sussex won to reach the final. Sussex have abandoned the tour and have made arrangements to fly home immediately.

Rashid was born in Southampton but was brought up in Middlesex where he quickly established a reputation as a player of great promise. He made his first-class debut for Middlesex in 1996, having played one-day cricket the season before when he also appeared for the Combined Universities side and for England Under 19s against South Africa.

With limited opportunities for Middlesex for whom he played only two first-class matches and a handful of one-day games, he moved to Sussex for the 1999 season and enjoyed more success.

In 2000, he scored his maiden first-class century and recorded his first five-wicket return. Last season he was a regular member of the Sussex side that won Division Two of the CricInfo Championship.

Sussex have issued the following statement on the tragedy. "The club is in a state of shock after hearing of the tragic deaths of Umer Rashid, 26, and his brother Burhan.

"Umer was a great favourite with both staff and supporters alike and had been with Sussex since 1999.

"He will be sadly missed as a friend and a colleague and his talent, as a cricketer, was recently summed up by Chris Adams (Sussex captain), as follows: "Umer is probably the most naturally gifted player on the staff who is capable of playing explosive innings and bowling match-winning spells with his left-arm spin."