Tom Maynard funeral: Cricket stars turn out to pay their respects

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Tom Maynard funeral: Cricket stars turn out to pay their respects

July 5th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Freddie Flintoff, Kevin Pietersen and Mark Ramprakash among 100 mourners attending funeral of Tom Maynard at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff
Surrey batsman, 23, was killed last month after being hit by a London Underground train at Wimbledon Park station
Mr Maynard’s flatmate Rory Hamilton-Brown, the Surrey captain, last night announced he is to take a break from the game
Hamilton-Brown was one of six pallbearers at today’s funeral

By
Graham Smith

PUBLISHED:

06:03 EST, 4 July 2012

|

UPDATED:

10:08 EST, 4 July 2012

England’s top cricket stars today paid their final respects to batsman Tom Maynard, who was hit by a London Underground train last month.

More than 100 mourners attended the funeral of the ‘talented and fun-loving’ Surrey cricketer at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff.

Freddie Flintoff, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Marcus Trescothick, Mike Gatting, Alec Stewart, Mark Ramprakash and Robert Croft were among the line-up of cricket stars at the service.

Mr Maynard’s model girlfriend Carly Baker – who paid tribute to him as the ‘most special man’ on the day of his death- was also present, as was former X Factor finalist and family friend Lucy Jones. Miss Jones sang two songs during the service.

Funeral: Tom Maynard's coffin is carried into Cardiff's Llandaff Cathedral by pallbearers including his Surrey captain and flatmate Rory Hamilton-Brown (far left)

Funeral: Tom Maynard’s coffin is carried into Cardiff’s Llandaff Cathedral by pallbearers including his Surrey captain and flatmate Rory Hamilton-Brown (far left)

Mourners: England stars Freddie Flintoff (left) and Kevin Pietersen arrive at the cathedral this afternoon

Mourners: Former England stars Mark Ramprakash (left), Freddie Flintoff (centre) and Kevin Pietersen arrive at the cathedral

Family: Mr Maynard's father, former England cricketer Matthew (centre), mother Sue (left) and sister Ceri walk behind his coffin

Family: Mr Maynard’s father, former England cricketer Matthew (centre), mother Sue (left) and sister Ceri walk behind his coffin

The order of service for Tom Maynard's funeral

England cricketer Chris Tremlett

The funeral’s order of service (left) and England cricketer Chris Tremlett (right) was also in the congregation

There was also a rousing version of
the Welsh rugby song Cwm Rhondda – Bread of Heaven – as cricket stars
were joined by rugby legend Gareth Edwards.

Many of the congregation were in tears as tributes were paid to Mr Maynard, whose photograph stood on his coffin.

Former Welsh cricketer Hugh Morris
said: ‘Tom was not only a player blessed with extraordinary talent but
someone whose sense of fun and enjoyment made him a hugely popular
figure in the game.

‘The cricketing family has lost a
treasured friend and teammate who enlivened the dressing room or lit up
any social occasion with his warmth and good humour.

‘He was never one to shirk any kind of challenge, sporting or otherwise. He was surely destined for the highest reaches of the game.’

Mr Maynard’s friends were urged to
bring photos and other keepsakes of the player for the family to make a
lasting montage to him.

His heartbroken father, and former
England batsman, Matthew Maynard, 45, mother Sue, 51, and sister Ceri,
19, sat holding hands throughout the service.

Freddie Flintoff chats to comedian and TV presenter Jack Whitehall (right) after the service

Devastated: Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown (right), who was Mr Maynard's flatmate, last night announced he is to take an indefinite leave from cricket. He is greeted by three other mourners ahead of today's service

Devastated: Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown (right), who was Mr Maynard’s flatmate, last night announced he is to take an indefinite leave from cricket. He is greeted by three other mourners ahead of today’s service

Final farewell: England legends Mike Gatting (left) and Andrew Strauss arrive at Llandaff Cathedral

Alec Stewart at Tom Maynard's funeral

Marcus Trescothick at Tom Maynard's funeral

England past and present: Alex Stewart (left) and Marcus Trescothick (right) both attended the funeral

More than 100 mourners watched the coffin carried into the church to one of the accompaniment of one of r Maynard's favourite songs, We Are Young by U.S. band Fun

More than 100 mourners watched the coffin carried into the church to one of the accompaniment of one of r Maynard’s favourite songs, We Are Young by U.S. band Fun

PROMISING ENGLAND PROSPECT KILLED BY TRAIN

March 25, 1989: Born in Cardiff.

2004: Makes his debut for Glamorgan Under-17s at the age of 15.

June 10, 2007: – Scores 71 off 75 balls on his professional debut for Glamorgan against Gloucestershire.

June 24, 2007: Scores 11 off 11 balls on his Twenty20 debut against Warwickshire.

August 16, 2007: Scores 15 on his first-class debut against Somerset.

May 2010: Captains
a Glamorgan team that includes his father Matthew, who came out of
retirement to play against a Cardiff University side.

January 2011: Leaves Glamorgan and signs for Surrey.

June 17, 2011: Scores his maiden century against Glamorgan. Goes on to score more than 1,000 runs in a stellar first season at the Oval.

December 16, 2011: Named in England Lions squad for tour of Bangladesh.

May 9, 2012: Scores highest total of 143 against Worcestershire.

June 17, 2012: Scores seven for Surrey in their Twenty20 match against Kent at Beckenham.

June 18, 2012: Found dead on tracks at Wimbledon Park station after being hit by a train.

His uncle Charles Maynard told mourners: ‘Tom always wanted to have fun – it’s how he wanted to live his life.

‘He had a cheeky and adorable manner with a huge smile. He was a very special person and will stay forever in our hearts.’

Following the
service, England captain Andrew Strauss said: ‘His death is a tragic
loss – Tom was forging a real name for himself in the game.’

Richard Thompson, the chairman of
Surrey Cricket Club, where Mr Maynard played, described him as ‘a one
off – totally irreplaceable’.

The coffin was carried into the crematorium to one of Tom’s favourite songs, We Are Young by U.S. band Fun.

The Surrey team song, A Little
Respect by Erasure, was played at the service as were Mr Maynard’s
favourites, including songs by Coldplay and The Calling.

A family spokesman said: ‘Matthew,
Sue and Ceri would like to reiterate their thanks to everyone for the
many hundreds of cards, letters, emails and messages they have received
following the tragic death of their son Tom. The level of support has been of real comfort to them.’

Mr Maynard – the son of former
Glamorgan cricket legend Matthew Maynard – was regarded by many as one
of the sport’s bright prospects.

In 2007, on his Glamorgan First XI debut he hit 71 runs from 75 balls – and was later snapped up by Surrey.

He was pronounced dead after being struck by a Tube train in the early hours of June 18 in Wimbledon, south London.

Tributes: Flowers and a shirt left outside the Oval ahead of England's one day international against the West Indies last month

Tributes: Flowers and a shirt left outside the Oval ahead of England’s one day international against the West Indies last month

Tribute: England and the West Indies hold a one minute silence in honour of Tom Maynard before their one day international at the Oval last month

Grief: Mr Maynard's model girlfriend Carly Baker, 25, said she had lost her 'special man'

Grief: Mr Maynard’s model girlfriend Carly Baker, 25, said she had lost her ‘special man’

Grief-stricken: Miss Baker posted a series of heartbreaking Tweets (above) on the day her boyfriend died

An inquest has been opened and adjourned
at Westminster Coroner’s Court – with Dr Shirley Radcliffe saying
‘extensive investigations’ were continuing.

It
emerged last night that Rory Hamilton-Brown, the Surrey captain who today helped carry Mr Maynard’s coffin into church, is to
take an indefinite break from cricket after struggling to cope with the
death of his close friend.

The 24-year-old, who shared a house
with Mr Maynard, will distance himself from the sport as he tries to
come to terms with the tragedy.

Following the death, Surrey immediately told its players they did not have to play on if they felt they could not.

After
initially returning to action against Hampshire on Sunday, Mr
Hamilton-Brown has decided he now needs to withdraw from the game.

He
said: ‘I am grateful to the club for their support and understanding of
my decision. I look forward to returning to the game when I hope I can
continue my form of recent seasons.’

Jade
Dernbach and Stuart Meaker were this week released from the England
squad on compassionate grounds ahead of today’s one-day international
against Australia at Edgbaston and both attended the funeral along with
the whole of the Surrey squad.

CCTV footage shows a police car in the search for the Surrey cricketer minutes before he was found dead on a London train line

Cordoned off: The black Mercedes belonging to Maynard was left just a few streets from where he died

Detectives probing Mr Maynard’s
death, which took place while he was fleeing police, want to find out
what happened during 50 minutes when officers lost him.

The sportsman was suspected of
drink-driving after police spotted his Mercedes C250 coupe swerving
across the road near Wimbledon Park underground station just after 4am
on June 18.

Mr Maynard, who was believed to have been heading to his girlfriend Miss Baker’s home, was then chased by a police car.

But after getting out of the car and running away on foot, officers and their sniffer dogs lost the talented cricketer.

Fifty minutes later Mr Maynard
stepped on a high-voltage rail before being struck by the first Tube
train of the day at Wimbledon Park.

The police watchdog, which routinely
investigates any potential wrongdoing by officers when a suspect dies,
were notified about the incident the same day.

Scene: Mr Maynard died after falling under a London Underground District Line train at Wimbledon Park station

Final journey: Mr Maynard's last steps from Ryfold Road to where he died less than half a mile away on tracks near Wimbledon Park station

Final journey: Mr Maynard’s last steps from Ryfold Road to where he died less than half a mile away on tracks near Wimbledon Park station

The following day they referred the
case back to Scotland Yard and asked them to examine what happened
during the ‘lost’ 50 minutes because it may shed light on why Mr Maynard
died.

The IPCC said it has assessed the
incident, and referred it back to Scotland Yard because the pursuing
officers had lost sight of Mr Maynard and had no further contact with
him before his death.

About 50 minutes passed between the start of the police chase and Mr Maynard being hit by the train.

After leaving his car the cricketer ran off on foot, leaving his BlackBerry and other personal items behind.

Worshippers at a nearby mosque said
the two officers did not give chase, but radioed details of the incident
to their control room. Colleagues arrived with sniffer dogs and began
searching gardens.

Shortly after 5am, the driver of a
District line Tube train saw a body lying across the tracks a short
distance from the station.

Police suspect Mr Maynard stepped on
the live rail and was knocked unconscious or killed outright before
being hit by an early morning train.