KAY DAYAL – A TRIBUTE

The ACST is deeply saddened by the death of Kailish Dayal, better known as ‘Kay’ to his friends, who died after being struck by a vehicle outside his Hong Kong apartment on the morning of 22nd July 2007.

Kay was on his way to umpire the final of the HKCA Under-19 League being played at the Po Kong Village Road ground when the accident occured. He later died from his injuries at 7.30pm.

Kay, who was 73, was well known in Hong Kong cricket circles and had been a regular umpire in the domestic cricket competitions since his arrival from Singapore five years ago, where he had also been a prominent umpire. He made a special effort to support junior cricket in Hong Kong and chose to umpire all matches for the Hong Kong Under-19 team in the HKCA Saturday League during the 2006-07 season.

Kay had been blinded in the left eye after being hit by a cricket ball while umpiring in a match at Mission Road last year.

An accomplished all-rounder in his day, Kay played first class matches for the state of Rajputana in the Indian domestic competitions during the 1950s.

Hong Kong assistant coach, Lal Jayasinghe said, ‘It is very sad for he was an amazing gentleman and one who has done a great deal for local cricket. Whenever we needed an umpire we could always rely on him.“

A widower, Kay leaves behind a son, living in Hong Kong and a daughter, now living in Mumbai, India.

Information courtesy of Hong Kong Cricket Association website.

Go to a Message from Sumit Dayal, Kay’s son

The following is an e-mail from Michael ‘Cat’ Maher, Chairman of the ACST, to Mr Sumit Dayal, Kay’s son:

Dear Sumit,

With great sadness I contact you about the recent passing of your father, Mr Kailash Dayal.

Kay was to us an excellent umpire, had brilliant knowledge of the game of cricket and most of all a proud gentleman who we all looked up to with pride. His great comradeship and his respect of “the spirit of cricket” were a great example to us all, something which made him very much an important part of our Cricket Sixes family, a very special person.

He also became a very close and valued friend not only to me, my partners in the Asian Cricket Sixes Tour (ACST), fellow umpires and officials, but also to all of the participants and supporters who would join us at the various tournaments on the tour. He personally became a good friend of mine the very first time that I met him while he was umpiring cricket in Hong Kong, he has had nothing but admiration from me since that day.

I have had many friends of Kay contact me over the past few days passing on their sorrow of the news of Kay’s passing, everyone has asked that I pass on to your family that our thoughts are with you all at this sad time.

I cannot be with you tomorrow and Saturday to celebrate Kay’s life as I am not in Hong Kong at this time, however I can assure that my genuine thoughts and admiration of your father will be with me then and always.

May he Rest In Peace!

Michael (Cat)

The following is an e-mail from Jeffrey ‘Rabbi’ Cohen, ACST umpire, to Mr Sumit Dayal, Kay’s son:

Dear Sumit

It is with great respect that I offer to all your father’s family my sincere condolences for the passing of a wonderful man.

Although I only recently met and umpired with your father in Phuket and then again in Macau, I very quickly realised his love and appreciation for the game of cricket and all those involved in it.

In some respects at times umpiring is a fairly lonely and isolated aspect of cricket and it is always helpful to have a buddy such as your father to share the times with. Not only was I fortunate enough to have him on the field but we also shared some special moments off the field.

I only have the greatest respect for him and will always remember the times we spent together and the knowledge that he so willingly shared with a fellow umpire. His experiences and advice will be long remembered by me not only from a cricketing aspect from but also from life in general.

I am extremely disappointed that I will not be able to be with his family and all his other friends in Hong Kong tomorrow, but you can rest assured that he and you will all be in my heart and my mind during this period and the photograph taken in Phuket will remain one of my treasures.

May you and your family be granted long and peaceful lives.

Respectfully

Jeffrey ‘Rabbi’ Cohen

E-mail from Peter Counsell, a UK-based ACST umpire:

Kay was not only an Umpire, he knew the Game and the laws to which it is played. Kay was also a gentleman, and he will be missed by those who knew him.

I have fond memories of standing with him in both Hong Kong and Phuket, and was looking forward to doing so again this November.

My condolences go out to his Family.

Regards

Pete

A tribute from Ian ‘Reds’ Liddell, ACST director:

I am deeply saddened by the news of Kay’s death. It has been a pleasure to have known Kay and witness his enthusiasm for the game we all love. Only two weeks ago he was standing behind the stumps in Macau...

Rest in peace Kay, we’ll miss you...

Reds

A tribute from Rex ‘Slydog’ Evans, ACST cricketer, Australia:

Can only think of the very sad lost to his immediate family and to the cricketing world in general.

I am sure all our thoughts and prayer’s are now with his family at this tragic time.

Rex ‘Slydog’ Evans

A tribute from Bill Brown, ACST official, Phuket:

Although I did not know Kay Dayal very well, he always had a friendly word when I saw him, and epitomised the camaraderie to be found at the Cricket 6s. He is sadly missed judging by all the e-mails flooding in. What a waste, another good man gone in a traffic accident.

Perhaps we should reflect on his untimely death and try to get some small gain by reminding all who come to Phuket, that Thailand has the highest number of traffic accidents per capita in the world, and Phuket is one of the worst places for them.

Please, everybody, take extra care when here, and be particularly wary of motor-cycles.

The greatest sympathy to Kay’s family and his many friends.

Your truly,

Bill

Haroon Qazi, captain of Corner Tigers, Pakistan, participants at Phuket & Hong Kong Sixes:

I was shocked to hear about Kay. Indeed a great loss, and sad news. Please pass our condolences to his family.

Haroon

Ramaraju Narayanaraju, captain of SIA CC, participants in 2007 Phuket Sixes, and umpire at Singapore Vets Sixes:

I felt very sad when I heard this news yesterday morning. May his soul rest in peace. God Bless!

I miss again a good friend and he is my third one, as I lost two great friends Terrance and Dennis Meyer.

Very sad days for me especially as they are not only my umpiring partners, they are my life partners as friends too.

Raju

Lon Saikia, captain of Guwahati Town Cricket Club, regular participants in the Phuket Sixes

Just now while browsing the Asian Cricket Sixes web page, I could know about the sad demise of Kay Dayal recently. I am sure this has been great loss to our cricket sixes, not to speak about the same to his family members.

I, on behalf of all members of Guwahati Town Cricket Club offer our deepest condolences to his family members and pray for everlasting peace of the departed soul. Kindly convey our message to his bereaved family. He was certainly one of the most friendly faces of cricket sixes tournaments. We’re going to miss him in the forthcoming tournaments.

Lon

A Message from Sumit Dayal, Kay’s son:

Dear ACST associates,

Cricket was a passion for my father. Well after his retired life from both cricket and work, he chose to return to the cricketing world as an umpire soon after we moved out of India to Singapore and then Hong Kong.

It is not easy for retired people to keep themselves occupied especially when they are in a foreign country, which was the case with my father. However given his grit and passion for cricket, he soon found another world and life outside the home in cricket. He would never miss a game for anything just to be with his cricketing fraternity, and above all on the field. Such was his passion for the game that he returned to it despite suffering a serious eye injury in September last year, which unfortunately took away vision from his left eye.

We are all deeply touched by the number of his cricketing friends who were with us at his funeral on Friday in person and in thoughts. On behalf of our family I would like to thank you all for your support, kind words and prayers that have helped us immensely in sharing this grief. I know my Dad's soul will rest in peace to see so many of his friends and well wishers coming forward in his remembrance.

With kind regards and may god bless you all.

Sumit Dayal
Cell: (852) 9185 4317

Back to TOP

BACK to Previous Page | HOME