Overview

• David ‘Syd’ Lawrence, England’s first British-born black cricketer, died on June 21 after a year-long fight against motor neurone disease
• England and India players at Headingley observed a minute’s applause and wore black armbands during their Test match to honour his impact
• Lawrence was appointed an MBE in this month’s King’s Birthday Honours for his services to cricket and raising awareness of MND
• His autobiography, ‘In Syd’s Voice’, was published earlier in June, detailing both his career milestones and his battle with the disease
• He took 18 wickets in five Tests between 1988 and 1992 before a career-ending knee injury and later became Gloucestershire’s first black club president in 2022