Mumbai, June 22: India and England players wore black armbands to pay their respect to former fast bowler David Lawrence, who passed away on Sunday. He was 61. Lawrence, who was affectionately known as ‘Syd', played five Tests (18 wickets) and a lone ODI (4 wickets) for England between 1988 and 1992. Lawrence, the first British-born Black cricketer to represent England, was battling motor neurone disease (MND) since last year. David Lawrence Dies: Former England Pacer Passes Away at 61 After Battle With Motor Neurone Disease.

“Both teams are wearing black armbands to pay their respects to former England Cricketer, David 'Syd' Lawrence, who has sadly passed away. There was a moment's applause before the start of play on Day 3,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Lawrence was diagnosed with the disease in 2024, a degenerative condition that affects the brain and nerves, leading to muscle wastage and there is no known cure to it. He had also authored a book ‘Syd's Voice' to create awareness about MND and was involved in charity to raise funds for other patients. IND vs ENG 1st Test 2025: Jasprit Bumrah Overtakes Wasim Akram To Become Asia’s Most Successful Bowler in SENA.

A Gloucestershire legend, Lawrence amassed 515 wickets from 185 First-Class matches and 155 wickets from 113 List A games. A promising bowler with extreme pace of his time, Lawrence's international career ended when he suffered a serious kneecap injury while bowling against New Zealand at Wellington in 1992.

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