A Yorkshire cricket journalist who once wrote for the Sheffield Star has died at the age of 72.

During a 50-year career Martin Searby covered Yorkshire County Cricket matches in the late 70s and throughout the 80s and was a popular figure on county grounds across the country.

Martin was born in Pontefract and moved to London as a boy where he was educated at The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School.

His career in sports journalism spanned over half a century and he became part of the Yorkshire cricket scene when he moved to Scarborough in the 70s.

He became cricket correspondent for Radio Leeds and went on to write about the team’s triumphs and losses  for the Sheffield Star, as well as The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail.

In 1985 he received the Wombwell Cricket Lovers’ Society Cricket Writer of the Year Award, and in more recent years he collaborated with Geoff Boycott on his book The Best XI and also edited his website.

Martin was a loyal member of the Cricket Writers’ Club, and he always held in particular affection his Yorkshire cricket colleagues.

Martin died from bladder cancer leaving behind his long-term partner Hilary.

His funeral will take place at Dewsbury Moor Crematorium, Heckmondwike Road, Dewsbury, on Thursday 30 June at 1pm.