From the time he took over as general secretary of the Northern Cricket Union, Bill McCarroll brought an integrity to the position that remained intact throughout his life. He was a gentleman in every sense, a meticulous organiser and unscrupulously fair in all his dealings.
He was thrown in at the deep end when he took over from Jim McDowell in 1985 as arrangements were well under way for the NCU Centenary celebrations the following year. The untimely death of NCU president Ferguson Grainger added another complication but like everything Bill faced in his life, he managed the situation with efficiency and discretion. The success of the subsequent centenary celebrations owed much to Bill's organizational skills and attention to detail, in much the same way that he carried out the demanding duties of general secretary the union.
The Senior Challenge Cup final and the Annual NCU Dinner were two of his favourite 'babies' and both were staged to perfection throughout his stewardship. He was always the welcoming handshake at both events and the friendly face of the NCU to many visitors.
As a former NCU chairman I have every reason to pay tribute to a dear friend as Bill guided and counselled me through many a crisis and he did it without rancour or bias. I'm sure I speak for all the officers and committee members in the union when I say he was the most accommodating of secretaries and always available to help and assist.
As an exile domiciled a long distance from home I was never neglected and the NCU committee minutes and other cricketing news were regularly sent to me by email. In the same vein he always sent an invitation to the annual dinner well in advance to plan a home visit around it, and his Christmas card was always one of the first to arrive every December. We always talked about getting together for a lunch but somehow we never made the time.
Bill's death yesterday after a short illness has stunned our close-knot cricket community and life within the NCU and the wider sporting community will be all the poorer for the passing of a good friend and colleague.
It was a privilege to have shared many enjoyable experiences with this great guy and all of us extend heartfelt sympathy to Jennifer and Claire, the loves of his life.
Farewell good friend, you played a straight bat in a wonderful innings.
Clarence Hiles
