Bolton: More than 300 people attended the funeral of Fred Trueman on Thursday to pay respect to England’s greatest fast bowler.

Trueman, the first bowler to take 300 Test wickets, died last Saturday aged 75 at Airedale General Hospital after being diagnosed with lung cancer in May.

On Thursday, former umpire Dickie Bird, ex-England greats Ray Illingworth, Brian Close, Yorkshire coach David Byas and captain Craig White gathered at the 12th-century Priory Church to reminisce about Trueman.

“He was a genius,” said Bird in his eulogy. “There have not been very many geniuses in sport ? Muhammad Ali in boxing, Maradona, Pele and Best in football, Michael Johnson, the great American athlete, Bradman, Sobers, Lillie and Trueman. “He bowled at pace, he swung the ball away late, and by doing that he got all the great players in the world out.”