Former England and Northamptonshire batter Wayne Larkins has died at the age of 71 following a brief illness. Known fondly as “Ned” in English cricket circles, Larkins left behind a legacy of flair, resilience, and charisma—both on and off the field. His passing was confirmed by Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, where he spent the majority of his two-decade-long career. Larkins played 13 Test matches and 25 ODIs for England between 1979 and 1991, and was best remembered for hitting the winning runs in Sabina Park during England’s surprise lead on the 1989–90 West Indies tour. Ironically, that Test came over eight years after his sixth appearance—his career stalled by a three-year ban following his participation in the controversial 1982 rebel tour of South Africa. Despite the international disruptions, Larkins flourished at the domestic level. Over 700 appearances for Northamptonshire saw him amass more than 40,000 runs and 85 centuries. His latter playing years included a stint at Durham before he retired from professional cricket. Read also: Mandhana Smashes T20I Ton, India Beat England by 97 Runs Larkins was widely celebrated not just for his aggressive strokeplay, but also for his larger-than-life personality. His wife, Debbie, offered an emotional tribute via the Northamptonshire website: “Ned loved everyone he met and everyone loved him. People were drawn to his infectious energy. He lit up every room and never wanted the party to finish. He loved his soul mate of a wife and his precious daughters so much. He will be partying up in the sky, drinking a toast to everyone and to his own life. We are devastated but we'll never forget his undeniably unique presence and his impact on our lives. We will carry him in our hearts forever.” As tributes pour in from across the cricket world, Wayne Larkins is being remembered as a man who truly lived and played on his own terms.