Words such as “dedicated” and “loyal” were used yesterday to describe late Willow Cuts and Somerset Cup Match off-spinner Gregory (Bisie) Gilbert who passed away last weekend at the age of 59.

Gilbert, who never backed away from a challenge, began his cricket career at Willow Cuts in the late 1960s where, along with wicketkeeper-batsman Gary Dowling, the two wreaked havoc on opposing batsmen.

“We tricked a lot of batsmen. All I had to do was give Bisie (Gilbert) the signal,” the Western Counties Cricket Association (WCCA) president recalled.

“Sometimes he would say ‘no, no, no’ or just bite his hand.

“We started playing together at Willow Cuts in 1967 — that was the year when a lot of the club’s top players left to play for Somerset Cricket Club. At the time we were just a bunch of kids and we shared many memorable moments playing cricket here and away on tours.

“He was a quiet person, but a very good spinner and slip fielder who actually started out as an opening batsman. He was a very good stroke player, a club man and a Willow Cuts supporter through and though — right up until the time of his passing. Bisie never missed Willow Cuts games and he certainly didn’t like to see them lose.”

The late cricketer once toured the West Indies with a Western Counties select, where he won over the hearts of the local supporters with his ability to turn the ball both ways. He eventually earned himself the nickname ‘Fingers’. “Even people in the Caribbean were impressed by his bowling. He was a top spinner as he had the ability to make the ball jump up,” said Dowling, who accompanied his late team-mate on tour of Barbados, Trinidad and Antigua in 1972.

One experience that perhaps best exemplified Gilbert’s fierce competitive nature arrived in the early 1980s during a Western Counties match at Southampton Oval.

“We had the opportunity to win the match (against Southampton Rangers) and it was very dark. All he (Gilbert) had to do was appeal for bad light, but he refused,” Dowling recalled.

“He was the first batsman I had ever seen refuse to take the bad light. So we batted on until he took a swipe and was bowled.

“We could’ve easily won the game because at the time we were well ahead on run rate, but we ended up losing. But that was Gilbert. He was the type of cricketer that never looked for the easy way out. He never wanted to win like that.”

Like so many others, Dowling was also stunned to learn of Gilbert’s passing last weekend.

“I was very emotional about it because we were good friends for many years. The guy was a real competitor and will sadly be missed,” he said.

“He was quite a character in the Western Counties and will always be remembered throughout the Island because everybody knew Bisie.”

A moment of silence in his memory will now be held prior to the start of tomorrow’s Western Counties first round clash between champions Somerset Bridge and Southampton Rangers at Southampton Oval.