Bank of England CC are very sad to learn of the passing of Finlay Macleod. Finlay came all the way through our junior section up to 2018, and continued to play senior cricket until 2020.

Finlay suffered from Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), which gradually affects eyesight. His father Steve, brother Seumas, and girlfriend Imi will be running the Bristol Half Marathon in 2024 in his memory to raise money for Retina UK. Members are invited to contribute via Imi’s Justgiving page HERE, in which she also describes the many personal qualities which made him a great team mate for us, but most importantly a wonderful person for all his friends and family.

We take consolation from the memories of Finlay at his best. He made his senior debut as a 15 year old in the Public Services T20 competition as a wicketkeeper bat. John Jackson, organising the Bank team, after the introductions, told him “I hear you’re a wicketkeeper. So am I; let’s share the games, and you do the first one.” After the first game, in which Finlay had taken a stunning legside catch, John said “I think you’d better do the second one as well,” and from then on whenever one of the adult sides was short of a wicketkeeper Finlay’s availability was asked after, though he often had commitments for his school.

Finlay played his last Bank game in 2020, a remarkable one against Ashtead in which the 4th XI chased over 270 to win. Finlay opened the batting with our Chair Peter Andrews and made 98 in 64 balls; suffice it to say there was no difficulty telling the batters apart. He could by then have played at a higher level, but he always seemed at ease in whichever team was fortunate enough to have him, even when almost everyone was older than he was and new to him.

The news has been a shock to his coaches, friends and contemporaries, including those who have continued into regular adult cricket with us, and we offer our deep sympathy to them. The Club sends our condolences to his family at this very difficult time.