‘A brother of serious note’: Remembering Windies and EP quick Ezra Moseley

The cricketing world paid tribute to Ezra Moseley after the former Eastern Province and West Indies fast bowler died tragically at the weekend, aged 63. Moseley was out cycling in Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday morning when he was struck by an SUV at a road junction. He died at the scene.

The news shocked the cricketing world with many former teammates and players paying tribute to the speedster.

Moseley burst onto the scene in his first-class debut with Glamorgan in 1980. He then went on to play for Barbados before being sidelined due to back surgery. He recovered in time to join the controversial 1982 West Indies rebel tour of SA. Signing up for that rebel tour earned the entire squad a life ban from West Indies cricket.

Moseley remained, playing cricket for Eastern Province and Glamorgan through the 1980s and, after the bans were lifted, went on to feature in two Tests and nine ODIs for the West Indies towards the end of his career in 1990.

In the Tests against England, he took six wickets and also broke Graham Gooch’s hand, a contributing factor to the West Indies winning that series after being 1-0 down.

RIP Moses! Friend, teammate or opponent you were a gentlemen on and off the field!! Being the first real professional I played with after leaving school in 1984, I always admired and respected the way you approached every game.

—  Eastern Province and Proteas all-rounder Dave Callaghan

He played for Eastern Province from 1983 until 1985 and also turned out for Union Cricket Club during that period. He took on various coaching roles after he retired, including a recent stint with the West Indies women's team.

Former Proteas and EP all-rounder Dave Callaghan paid tribute on his Facebook page. “RIP Moses! Friend, teammate or opponent you were a gentlemen on and off the field!!" wrote Callaghan. “Being the first real professional I played with after leaving school in 1984, I always admired and respected the way you approached every game.

“Our matches against each other for Littleborogh and Rochdale [in the Lancashire Leagues] were legendary and will be remembered by so many at the two clubs.”

Another EP teammate Mike van Vuuren also took to Facebook: “RIP Ez, very sad, Ezra Moseley ... you were a brother of serious note.”

Cricket West Indies (CWI) director of cricket Jimmy Adams said this in a statement: “Ezra was one of our region’s premier fast bowlers from the late ’70s through the ’80s and into the early ’90s. I want to extend our sincere condolences to his family.

“After his playing days were over Ezra continued to serve cricket in the region by coaching at the junior levels in Barbados and moving into positions with our international women’s team.”

Cricket writer and former England seamer Mike Selvey said Moseley was “slippery fast” and he would have played “more Tests in a different era.”