Somerset Cricket Club is mourning the death of their oldest surviving former Cup Match player.

Junius Durrant passed away on February 2, eleven days shy of what would have been his 87th birthday.

The talented all-rounder made four consecutive appearances for Somerset in the annual two-day classic from 1955 to 1958. He scored 124 runs from five innings with a top knock of 54 at Wellington Oval, but was never called upon to bowl his seam deliveries in Cup Match.

Durrant was an excellent slip fielder and is famously remembered for scoring the winning runs with a six over the square leg boundary off St George’s seamer Alfred “Fleas” Hall to clinch Somerset’s seven-wicket triumph on their own turf in the 1957 Cup Match.“On behalf of Somerset Cricket Club, we offer our condolences to the family and friends of Mr Junius Durrant,” Vashon Blanchette, the Somerset Cricket Club president, said.

“We will fondly remember his contributions to the club during his playing days.”

In 2018, Durrant and late St George’s captain Leroy “Tubby” Richardson were both honoured as the oldest surviving players from the respective Cup Match clubs during the innings break of Somerset's final trial match.

“We are fortunate to be able to honour him in the lead up to the 2018 Cup Match,” Blanchette added.

Eugene “Buck” Woods now succeeds Durrant as Somerset’s oldest surviving former Cup Match player and Sam Paynter as St George’s’ in the classic.

Durrant earned a reputation for his superb exploits on the pitch, according to those who played alongside of him such as George “Friday” Bremar, the former Willow Cuts and Somerset Cup Match all-rounder.

“Junius was an all-rounder but he developed as a middle order batsman,” Bremar said. “He was a vicious hooker of the ball. Junius would hook you and just spin around the wicket on his toes. You could not let anything come up chest high because you’re gone and don’t talk about cutting and straight driving either because that was Junius.

“He also had a good defence and knew what shot he was going to play because he always saw where you would pitch the ball.

“His front foot was always his guide and he had a lot of power in those wrists.”

As for the late player’s superb fielding in the slip cordon, Bremar added: “He was a great slip fielder; you don’t let nothing go down in slips when Junius was at first or second slip.

“He would catch the ball and walk towards you grinning.”

Durrant played most of his club cricket for Willow Cuts, where he mentored many youngsters, including Bremar.

“He gave me a lot of encouragement when I was playing for Willow Cuts,” Bremar said.

“He told me never change my game; if you’re going out there to hit, continue on hitting because once you start poking, you ain’t going to do nothing, and I followed his advice.”

Durrant also helped to scout and recruit potential talent for Willow Cuts.

“He was going around recruiting players and he always had his eye out,” said Joe Bailey, the former Somerset Cup Match captain.

“When I came out to play these guys would always go around gathering young players to play for the Willow Cuts.

“He spent a lot of time with the Willow Cuts because they had two teams then; the Willow Cuts Reds and Willow Cuts Blues, and he represented both.

“He was a very good cricketer and a very nice person.”

Durrant, who also had a stint at Somerset Bridge Recreation Club, was a passionate fan of Australia on the international stage.

“Australia was his No 1 side, he always talked about Australia,” Bremar added.

“Any time you had a cricket conversation with him he told you to watch those Australians if you want to know how to play serious cricket.”

Bailey added: “He loved to talk cricket and he didn’t only talk about Bermuda cricket. He talked about cricket all over the world and there wasn’t a cricketer that he didn’t know. He was very quiet and observing, and always willing to say something good about this game of cricket.”