We are saddened to learn of the passing of John Cockett, an Olympic hockey medallist and talented cricketer, aged 92.

Cockett was a member of the Great Britain (GB) hockey team which won a bronze medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, beating Pakistan 2-1, before finishing fourth four years later in Melbourne after a 3-1 defeat by West Germany.

He earned 37 England caps and 18 for GB as a half back during an international career between 1951-1958.

He was a pupil at Aldenham School before heading to Cambridge University where he earned blues at hockey and cricket. He played his club hockey with Chelmsford, Cambridge Wanderers and Ghosts.

On leaving Cambridge he became a house master at Felsted School, teaching Mathematics and coaching hockey and cricket until his retirement in the late 1980s. At Felsted he coached several first-class cricketers, including Nick Knight, Derek Pringle and John Stephenson.

He also had a notable cricket career as a middle-order batsman, making seven first-class appearances for Cambridge University in 1951 and from 1949 to 1962 he regularly played Minor Counties cricket for Buckinghamshire. In 1953 he played in a Minor Counties team against the touring Australians, who included Alan Davidson, Ray Lindwall, Bill Johnson and Richie Benaud.

He is survived by his wife Heather, two sons and a daughter.

Mike Haymonds, 26.02.2020