Ralph Anthony: Guernsey sporting legend dies aged 67

Ralph Anthony, seen here bowling on a ECB Over 50's tour, played for Guernsey at three different sports

Ralph Anthony, described as one of Guernsey's greatest-ever sportsmen, has died at the age of 67.

Best known as a cricketer and revered as the island's best spin bowler, he also played football and bowls for Guernsey.

He played in one Muratti football match against Jersey and international games against Wales and Ireland at bowls.

"As a cricketer he was inspirational. He led from the front," former teammate Dave Piesing told BBC Radio Guernsey.

He played most of his cricket for unfashionable island club Saleymites, and also nurtured young talent.

"He was Saleymites, he built them up, he went out, found and developed very young cricketers in their mid-teens who perhaps didn't come from a cricketing background and he turned them into a competitive unit with players really realising their potential," Piesing added.

A bench dedicated to Ralph Anthony is at Guernsey's King George V cricket pitch

Former player Mike Webber described Anthony as a "really gifted cricketer".

He continued: "He was a true all-rounder. He was a fierce competitor, particularly when we played against Jersey.

"But even though he was a fierce competitor, he always wanted things to be done the right way and he was always very fair, he was never one who tried anything on, he just wanted things to be done the right way."

As a footballer, Anthony spent more than a decade playing for Belgrave Wanderers in the Priaulx League as an inside forward.

"He was a very talented passer of the ball, he wasn't overly physical," former team-mate Mike Vaudin told BBC Guernsey.

"Everything Ralph did in life sporting-wise was always conducted with great enthusiasm."