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Former England fast bowler Loader dies at 81

Former England fast bowler Peter Loader died on Tuesday aged 81, Surrey County Cricket Club announced.

Loader was a key member of the Surrey side that won seven consecutive English County Championship titles from 1952-1958 and in a 12-year career took 1,108 first-class wickets at an average of just 19.04.

He then emigrated to Australia, where he lived for the remainder of his life.

Loader also played in 13 Tests, taking 39 wickets at 22.51 including England’s first hat-trick after the Second World War, against the West Indies at Leeds in 1957.

But he was unfortunate that his career coincided with those of such great English fast bowlers as Frank Tyson, Brian Statham and Fred Trueman.

Former Surrey and England batsman Micky Stewart, a team-mate of Loader, said: ‘Peter was one of the finest quick swing bowlers that I knew in my playing time and it was a privilege to play with him.

‘He was a very competitive and aggressive bowler and his accuracy and control in swinging the ball both ways was incredible.’