Farewell Dennis Breakwell, Somerset stalwart and mentor to generations of cricketers

Left-arm spinner who has died aged 78 played alongside Ian Botham and Viv Richards in county’s glory days, experience he passed on to Jos Buttler and many others Away from the bright lights and the hungry eye of television, cricket unfolds as it has always done, with a quiet welc

Left-arm spinner who has died aged 78 played alongside Ian Botham and Viv Richards in county’s glory days, experience he passed on to Jos Buttler and many others Away from the bright lights and the hungry eye of television, cricket unfolds as it has always done, with a quiet welcoming handshake across the generations. Dennis Breakwell was the quintessence of that. Breakwell died this week at the age of 78, after a 15-year career as a slow left-arm bowler at Northamptonshire and Somerset, and more than 20 years as a groundsman and coach at King’s College Taunton.

There he cut the grass, watched, and became a touchstone for generations of young cricketers passing through the school, including Jos Buttler. This is an extract from the Guardian’s weekly cricket email, The Spin. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions .

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