The Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the Northern Diamonds are devastated to have learnt of the death of hugely popular scorer Kevin Hutchinson over the Easter weekend.
Kevin passed away in the early hours of Good Friday following a year-long battle with illness.
He was a scorer within the Yorkshire women’s set-up since 2016, including the county’s senior side, the Yorkshire Diamonds in the Kia Super League and, latterly, the Northern Diamonds.
He was with the Diamonds for the first two years of regional cricket, and the squad affectionately nicknamed him ‘King Kev’.
“There’s a reason we called him that,” said leg-spinner Katie Levick. “He was such a gentle soul, and we absolutely loved him.
“The news was really tough to take when we got the message because a lot of the girls have grown up with Kev.
“He just couldn’t have been anymore passionate about the women and girls’ game. He just supported us in whatever way he could do.
“He was a lovely, genuine guy who was a massive part of our team and set-up here.
“He was the first guy to help you carry your bags off the coach even though you told him he’d already done enough, and he knew everything there is to know about cricket and could tell you what was needed at any stage of a game.”
Kevin lived in Thorner and had scored for Thorner Mexborough Cricket Club and then York CC in the Yorkshire Premier League North competition.
He also scored for Leeds/Bradford MCC Universities and was the Yorkshire County Scorers Officer with the brief to recruit and train scorers across the county.
Kevin’s illness meant he was not with the Diamonds in 2022, which ended with them securing the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy title.
With this news, Levick says, that success now means that much more.
She added: “It’s people like Kev who are part of the journey and helped you get where you are today.
“When we didn’t have the structure in place that we do now, he would follow us all around the country just as passionately.
“Wins like the one at Lord’s are as much for people like him off the pitch as they are for the girls out there on it.”
Everybody’s thoughts at the club are with Kevin’s partner Amber and the rest of his family and friends.
