The Chiang Mai Sixes is extremely sad to record the death on Dec 2, at 86 years, of our long term supporter and honorary patron Richard Willoughby Wood. Many Sixes regulars came to know Dick personally over the years, and many others knew him simply as the grand old gent in the cap enjoying a beer, the company , and the cricket from the shade of "Wood's View" -- the tent traditionally provided for Dick and his friends at every Sixes Tournament in recent memory.

Apart from supporting the Sixes and every other cricket event at Gymkhana (Since the 1980's 'The Dick Wood Cup' has been played for in a challenge match between British Club, Bangkok of which Dick was an honorary life member , and Chiengmai Gymkhana Club of which he was a patron and the longest standing member ), Dick had contributed items on cricket history in Chiang Mai for past Sixes programmes , and was regularly on hand to help present the awards on Sixes's Finals Day.

Dick Wood has seemed to be a part of life and especially sporting life at Gymkhana Club forever. Although he first came to Chiang Mai in 1948 , his connection with the city and Gymkhana Club was established long before, his father having been a founding member of the club in 1898. Dick himself was educated at Wellington College and Peterhouse, Cambridge. Following in his father's career footsteps, he started in forestry management in Burma in 1937 , then served as an officer with the Burma Regiment during the Second World War, rising to the rank of Major and being awarded the Military Cross. It was after Burma gained ndependence that Dick came to Chiang Mai as a forestry manager with the Borneo Company. When Thai forestry became nationalised, Dick was moved to East Malaysia for five years , and finally returned ,in retirement, to Chiang Mai in 1965.

Sadly there'll be an empty seat in Wood's View tent at the Sixes next year, but we can be sure good old Dick Wood will be there in spirit. Dick passed on peacefully we hear.We shall miss him greatly, but his memory will surely be recalled whenever cricket is played in Chiang Mai.