October 30 2006 Doug

By Alastair Machray on Oct 30, 06 08:02 AM

My brother Douglas

MY brother Doug died on Saturday.

He lived in Australia and I didn't get to see him all that often. But when I did I loved it. I last saw him about 18 months ago. He was over here and we played golf together in London.

He was getting over a stroke and was looking really well. Seemed to be making a full recovery.

Then cancer gets him. Liver cancer and it didn't take long. I had a feeling all day Friday that something was wrong. I spoke to my sister and she said it was any time. He died at 2am on Saturday morning. He was 68 years old.

Doug was a golf professional. He was good enough to contend for titles on the Far Eastern Tour when he was a young man. Latterly he'd been a teaching pro in Australia where he lived with his family near Brisbane.

Lynne and I were talking about going out to see him. Play some golf, maybe take in a Test match. The lesson is: Do these things. Don't put off. One day - like today - you'll turn round and it will be too late. Then all you'll think about is what I'm thinking about. About all the things I wanted to say that will never get said.

His family are talking about coming over at Christmas. Doug always said he wanted his ashes scattered on the Thames.

At work. Not really in the mood for work but not in mood for moping at home either.