Gloucestershire Cricket honours David 'Syd' Lawrence with tribute match
Special commemorative kit to be worn against Nottinghamshire for MND awareness
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club will honour the legacy of their former Club President and fast bowler, David 'Syd' Lawrence, this August with a special commemorative match against Nottinghamshire.
Lawrence passed away in June 2025 after battling motor neurone disease, and the tribute match set for 9th August 2026 in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Cheltenham aims to celebrate his life and contributions.
Born and raised in Gloucestershire, Lawrence debuted for the county at 17 and made history as the first British-born Black cricketer to represent England in Test cricket.
In 2022, he became Gloucestershire's first Black president.
The tribute match follows the Club's successful Pink 4 Syd event against Hampshire Hawks in 2025, which raised £12,000 for the MND Association, a charity close to Lawrence and his family.
The upcoming match will continue efforts to garner support and funding for the MNDA, with Nottinghamshire joining as active partners in the initiative.
James Bracey, Gloucestershire's vice-captain and supporter of the MNDA, highlighted the significance of the tribute, saying,
“Syd meant everything to this Club and to so many of us personally. This is a chance to celebrate his life in the place he loved most, doing the thing he loved most, and to make sure his legacy helps other people and families going through what he went through.”
The occasion holds personal meaning for Bracey, reminiscing about receiving the T20 Blast trophy from Lawrence during one of Lawrence’s final public appearances.
“That moment with the trophy is something I will never forget. Syd was so proud of what the club had achieved and so proud of the players. To be able to do something like this for him, and for MNDA, feels like the right way to honour that,” Bracey added.
Neil Priscott, Chief Executive Officer at Gloucestershire Cricket, voiced enthusiasm for the initiative, saying,
“We’re delighted to once again support the Motor Neurone Disease Association in honour of Gloucestershire legend David ‘Syd’ Lawrence. We wanted to continue the momentum from last year’s Pink 4 Syd match, and we feel bringing this initiative to Cheltenham for the Gloucestershire v Nottinghamshire fixture on Sunday is the perfect opportunity to do that.”
The Club invites supporters and members to attend the match and join in honouring Lawrence’s contributions, and help raising funds for the MNDA.