GRAHAM Senior, who has died at the age of 65, was both a reliable and unusual seam bowler.

Unusual in that he was as laid-back and genial a character on the cricket field, as he was off it.

Not for him the histrionics and fuse-blowing typical of some seamers. He relied on skill and accuracy, preferring to wear down or outwit an entrenched batsman.

“He would never appeal if he didn’t think it was out and I never once saw him lose his temper,” said I’Anson veteran Ray Clarke, who played both against and with Graham for some 40 years.

With a loping, shortish run-up and easy action, Senior could bowl long spells, and did so on a regular basis for his first club, The Bourne.

His stock delivery moved into the right-hander and, with his accuracy, batsmen found him particularly difficult to get away.

Starting in the youth team, Graham played for The Bourne for 25 years.

In 1978, with the redoubtable John Tanner as captain, a strong 2nd XI, including Graham at the start of his senior career, won the Miller Cup.

He soon graduated to the 1st XI and formed an effective opening partnership with an equally consistent medium-pacer, Dave Knight. Both captained the side during the 1980s when The Bourne, with prolific run-scorers like Mike Poulter and Les Knight in the line-up, were still hard to beat.

The club’s golden era was over, but the side finished runners-up in 1993 and the next season, with Ron Neil as captain, they won the I’Anson Cup for an incredible 20th time.

It was the club’s first championship for 26 years and the title race went to the last day of the season, with Frensham and Grayshott also in contention.

The Bourne were home to Grayshott and Graham Senior played a vital role – but as a batsman.

Grayshott made 186-9 declared and Bourne slumped to an alarming 16-4 in reply before fighting their way to 45-8 at stumps, with Senior undefeated and ensuring a precious point while holding Grayshott to four. The Bourne won the cup by four points.

The old order was changing at The Bourne and in 1999 Graham moved down the road to Frensham where he had friends nearer his own age.

He thought his best cricketing days were behind him, but found himself drafted into the first team where he proved a useful foil to Danny Coldicott, the fastest bowler in the league.

He helped Frensham to back-to-back I’Anson titles in 2000 and 2001 (the competition’s centenary season) and proved a valuable asset to the club’s National Village Cup side which reached the last 16 in 2000.

Senior was an excellent slip fielder and no slouch as a late-order batsman, as he once showed when playing for Frensham against Elstead, hitting the normally unhittable Pat Murphy for 25 in an over, mostly with sixes over ‘cow corner.’

He was happy to drop down to the lower teams in later years and enjoyed playing alongside the vastly experienced John Storey.

Graham and his wife, Rita, embraced the lively social scene at Hollowdene and he was one of the more restrained tourists on Frensham’s regular visits to Holland.

Graham Senior, who lived in Aldershot, was born in Bradford, moving south when he was eight. He worked for the Southern Electricity Board before becoming a self-employed electrician. He played table-tennis and football for the SEB. As a young footballer, he was selected for Charlie Mortimore’s district schools’ side.

His son, Philip, also played youth cricket for The Bourne, with Graham as team manager.

Graham took the news of his cancer diagnosis last January with characteristic stoicism. With his passing, just seven months later, the I’Anson has lost one of the cricketers who gave the competition a good name.

Graham Senior leaves his wife, Rita, brother Brian, son Philip, two stepchildren and four grandchildren. The funeral has taken place.