Tom Maynard: Father Matthew says son was 'a really great bloke'

The father of Surrey cricketer Tom Maynard has spoken of the pride in his son as a "really great bloke" in his first interview since his death.

Cardiff-born Maynard, 23, was hit by a London Underground train in Wimbledon on 18 June.

Father Matthew said: "The amount of letters that we've had shows how he turned out as a really great bloke.

"There can be nothing more rewarding for a parent knowing how your lad's turned out like you hoped them to."

He added: "The thoughtfulness that he had for others wasn't as apparent as it has become with the letters that we've received and that fills us with a lot of pride.

Tom Maynard moved from Glamorgan to Surrey in 2011

"His cricket was going in the right direction but that for us is going by the by.

"We are so proud of how he turned out, how he was as a player, how he was as a person and we always will be.

Figures from the sporting world were among more than 1,000 mourners who attended Maynard's funeral at Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, last month.

An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned until 24 September.

The death, which is not being treated as suspicious, was announced a day after he played for his county in the t20 game against Kent.

Maynard had previously played for Glamorgan until his father left his role as the club's coach in 2010.

'Lovely character'

"I wouldn't wish it on anyone," Matthew said. "It's not just the two months now, it's always going to be with us.

"How we react in future and how we go about it in future no-one knows. That's going to be the tough thing.

He added: "He just had a lovely character. He never got above his station. he just had that wonderful way about him I suppose. He had his mother's cooler nature. I suppose.

"We just wanted to have an opportunity to thank everyone who's supported us, reiterate really how proud we are with our lovely lad and that will always be the case."

The Tom Maynard Trust was given the go-ahead by his family last month and will initially help the development of aspiring disadvantaged cricketers.

"The idea was mooted fairly early on but we weren't really in a position to sanction at that stage," said Maynard.

'Incredible support'

"Reading the letters that have come through, people had said how much Tom had helped their charity, it kind of made us re-think I guess.

"It's something we believe he would want us to do and it's had incredible support so far."

The first fundraising event takes place on Monday with a bike ride from the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff to the Kia Oval in London.

Maynard, a former England and Glamorgan batsman, will be among the cyclists who are due to at the Oval on Tuesday just before the Tom Maynard memorial match between Surrey and the Welsh Dragons starts.

He added: "I'll do my best because Tom was never a quitter and he'd hate to think his old man would quit on something so I've tried to get the miles in.

"Whether I've had enough time to get the miles in I'm not sure, but I'm going to give it my best."

You can hear the full interview with Matthew Maynard on BBC Radio Wales' The Back Page, Saturday at 08:30 BST