Recently EMWCC received the very sad news that a giant of our Club had passed away. Chris Green was a true lad of the Itchen Valley, growing up in Couch Green he naturally found his way to the cricket club.
In the 1960s and 70s there were a number of families from the Valley who played at Easton. The Marsh, Fullicks, Green, Hobbs, Yeates, Purser and Guest families made up the backbone of Easton & Martyr Worthy CC. Out of these local connections came Chris Green as a standout all-rounder of prodigious talent but he was never showy in the slightest. Greener was a threat with the ball in his hand, a safe pair of hands in the slips and he could be absolutely lethal with a bat. He once scored 86 sixes in a season and I’m sure he made them all look easy. There was no T20 in those days, but Chrissie had his own style and would regularly knock off 50 runs in a ridiculously small number of balls. As a tall, powerful man he would plant his front leg down the wicket and with great timing could launch the ball over the neighbour’s cottage and Chapel Lane and into what is now Boundary Cottage’s garden. It is because of these regular feats that the cottage took that name back in 1976 and thankfully it still remains a monument to Chrissie’s ability.
Anyone who played with Chris will remember his cricket but it was his sense of humour that so many will cherish. Whilst he was standing in the slips during a game his dry wit would amuse, encourage and energise those around him. Many young players were indebted to Greener for his captaincy, leadership and support but anyone who knew him will miss his cheeky grin and his friendship.
Our thoughts at the Club are with his remaining son Shaun and his family at this time, and his late son Steve’s boys Joel and Ethan.
