Hampshire cricket has been saddened by the passing of gentleman cricketer Derek Tulk, one of the few surviving members of the formidable and all-conquering Old Tauntonians team of the early seventies.

Aged 88, he had been in poor health for some time.  

He made two first class appearances for Hampshire during his brief spell on the Northlands Road groundstaff, his debut back in 1956 was against Gloucestershire for whom England's Tom Graveney opened the batting. The following year he played one more against a powerful Cambridge University side that included Ted Dexter and Bob Barber.  He also played at Lord's in a Second XI Championship match against Middlesex. 

Tulk’s bowling action – a high leading left-arm and fingers pointing upwards – was near enough coach perfect; after all, Arthur Holt would have had it no other way. 

“Derek was old school. He threw the ball up above the eyeline, gave it a big tweak, and aimed to induce a false shot  He was ideal for Saturday afternoon club cricket and stuffed us all at one time or another,” recalled long-time opponent John Wolfe, from New Milton. 

Derek spun the ball a lot and, with his accuracy, perfectly backed up the OTs opening bowlers Tony Baker and Bernie Thomason. 

Tulk, who lived in Rownhams, had begun to make his mark in local cricket as a promising teenager for Tauntons in the Hampshire Schools’ Altham Trophy and in 1951 began a long rivalry with Itchen Grammar School’s Don Cartridge, who became one of the best batsmen ever to play locally 

He joined the Hampshire groundstaff in 1956, and later, having forged a lifelong career in insurance with ??, joined Old Tauntonians, where he played a prominent role in the club’s Southern League championship successes, alongside numerous wins in the old County Ground knockout competition.  

More importantly, Derek was a nice man who always had a word of encouragement for those on both sides who’d had a bad day with bat or ball. 

“He was one of the finest players and finest people I had the honour to call a teammate,” reflected Phil Green, who kept wicket to him on numerous occasions. 

Both of Derek’s sons, Stuart and Ian became leading club cricketers and played in the same OTs team on a regular basis. His grandson Harry is now a prominent all-rounder with OTs & Romsey, whom Derek watched regularly.