37. In Memoriam : Nick Heroys (with thanks to Ted Rose)

Nick Heroys (where can I find an acute accent on an e-mail?) was seriously intense, intelligent and precise. Always neat and tidy, he had an innate elegance, especially when batting.

He played all the then range of shots, including the sweep and was congratulated by Richie Benaud, no less, after making a hundred against a wandering side for which he had bowled. (No helmets, of course).

We were at the same Cambridge college together and his White Russian father advised both of us before we went up: “Cultivate your dons.” Which certainly helped me get a degree. He played one game for the university, but, like the rest of us, found county fast medium bowling not too easy. He also played squash for the university second pair.

He did the double for Limpsfield one year. His economical, whippy bowling action regularly delivered the ball pitched up and with a beautiful seam position, so there was always movement. He got me out several times, playing against him, trying to manufacture a scoring shot that wasn’t on and he hit he bat harder than expected.

He had rather brittle hands and Gracey was still moaning, forty years later, about a catch he dropped in the Cricketer Cup final, which rugby won.

After playing, he followed the Band of Brothers and old Tonbridgian cricket, still chain smoking, with even more intensity than when he was playing.

He’s on the dust jacket of my book. ("How to Win at Cricket: Or, the Skipper's Guide". EM Rose, 1988)

Educated at Tonbridge School, Nicholas was commissioned in The Royal Leicestershire Regiment. He was a very good amateur cricketer. After his National Service, he studied at Cambridge, during which time he played two matches for the University (one, in 1960, a First Class match against Hampshire at Fenners.)

In 1972, he captained the MCC vs. Cambridge University and also captained the Old Tonbridgians CC to five finals of The Cricketer Cup (three wins), and was President of the Club.

Nicholas, a trained chartered accountant, had a very successful business career, finishing his working life as Finance Director of Slaughter and May, regarded as one of the most prestigious law firms in the world. He and his devoted wife, Susan, had been married for 53 years and had two sons.

He was appointed to the Band of Brothers in 1958, joining their Benevolent Board in 1967 and later in 1975 becoming their Hon. Secretary, before taking the role of their 9th Chief from 2004 to 2014.

Although entirely separate organisations, Kent County Cricket Club and The Band of Brothers CC’s histories are closely associated.

Kent Cricket Chairman, Simon Philip, said: “Nicholas Héroys was a much respected and distinguished servant of the club, as reflected in his appointment as an Honorary Life Member (now Vice President), the highest honour the club can bestow. He will be missed by all at the club who were lucky enough to know him. The thoughts of everyone at Kent Cricket are with Nicholas’ family and friends at this sad time.”