Keith Piper, the former Warwickshire wicketkeeper who played a central role in the club's historic treble-winning season in 1994, has died at the age of 56 after a battle with cancer.
Piper claimed more than 500 catches in a 200-match first-class career, and was considered one of the most accomplished wicketkeepers of his generation.
He made two hundreds as well, including a best of 116 not out at Edgbaston in 1994, as he accompanied Brian Lara to his world-record 501 not out against Durham.
In a tribute posted on Instagram, Lara wrote that he was "heartbroken" to hear of Piper's death, and reflected on a photograph (below) of the pair embracing after his innings.
"When I look at this photograph, I don't see a cricket match or a scorecard. I see a great friend, a team-mate, and a moment of genuine joy shared between two people who loved the game and the camaraderie it brought.
"I was exhausted and champagne-fuelled, and you kindly insisted on driving me to London that evening. We stopped in Oxford to visit a Trini friend of mine and, once we got back on the motorway, we laughed and chatted until the day finally got the better of me and I suddenly nodded off. "BC, wake up we're in London" That was the next thing I heard."
In an era when the Test wicketkeeping role bounced between Jack Russell and Alec Stewart, Piper's name was often mentioned in selection circles, but the closest he got to a call-up were two England A tours in the mid-1990s.
Born in Leicester in 1969, Piper's big break in cricket came at the renowned Haringey Cricket College in North London, a pioneering forerunner of the modern academy system, which helped 25 young cricketers, mostly of Afro-Caribbean heritage, to progress to the professional game.
His 16-year career would coincide with a run of unprecedented success for Warwickshire. He played in seven Lord's finals between 1993 and 2002, winning three, as well as back-to-back County Championship titles in 1994 and 1995, and the Sunday League in 1994.
In 1997, Piper served a four-month drugs ban, and in 2005, he tested positive for cannabis in the opening round of the season, an episode that effectively ended his career.
He retired at the end of the season and served for a time as Warwickshire's Second XI coach, before later joining Leicestershire's coaching team.
"Keith was one of the good ones, warm-hearted, loyal, and someone whose presence made the dressing room a better place to be," Lara added. "The years may pass, but the memories of those shared moments, the laughter, and the friendships forged through cricket never leave us.
"I feel incredibly fortunate to have known him and to have been a part of his journey on earth. My thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him.
"Rest easy, Keith. You will be remembered with great affection and missed by many."