KENT cricket said its farewells to a county legend when almost 500 mourners crammed into the Church of St Anthony of Parmiers in Alkham near Dover for the funeral of Brian Luckhurst.

Kent and England cricketers past and present attended the hour-long service in the home village of the former Test batsman who died of cancer, aged 66, on March 1.

Mr Luckhurst's local pub closed for the day as a mark of respect and police were called in to marshal the traffic as the county remembered the man who played for his country 21 times, served his county for 51 years and who was buried on the final day of his term of office as club president.

The congregation heard readings from Mr Luckhurst's sons Tim and Simon and step-son Matthew and a eulogy from England and Kent team-mate Derek Underwood.

In his address, Mr Underwood said: "To be president of Kent County Cricket Club was without doubt the greatest honour and tribute that Brian could ever have achieved so it was tragic that he should be stricken with illness in his presidential year.

"Despite all the odds he fulfilled his duties and at times he went far beyond the call of duty and despite his pain and tiredness he was determined to enjoy and relish every moment of his year."

Mr Underwood, who made his Kent debut alongside Mr Luckhurst and was arguably England's best ever left-arm spinner, added "Brian would never have believed the presence today of so many friends and cricketing colleagues and players who admired and respected him, it speaks volumes that so many of you are here.

"He came to Kent two months after his 15th birthday and was primarily in those days a left-arm spinner but subsequently saw the light."

The congregation also included Kent legends Mike Denness, Norman Graham, Alan Ealham, David Constant, Bob Wilson, Derek Ufton, Chris Tavare and Richard Ellison, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board David Collier while the other counties were represented by Mickey Stewart, Clive Radley, Pat Pocock (Surrey), Robin Hobbs (Essex), Peter Lever and Jim Cumbes (Lancashire).

The service was followed by cremation at the Barham Crematorium near Canterbury and a reception at the Kent pavilion at the St Lawrence ground.Donations can be made if desired to The Mountbatten Centre Trust Fund at The Kent and Canterbury Hospital via W J Farrier & Son, 161 London Road, Dover.