Angus Platt was an outstanding spin bowler and a member of a well known family, whose name is synonymous with the famous City of Derry Cricket Club in the years when the club played on the ground at Lower Duncreggan.

A one-club cricketer, Angus spent his entire career with the Duncreggan Club and what a great loyal and faithful servant he was - he made his debut on 28th June 1941 for the senior team and he played for that team for a record unbroken period of 30 years and rarely, if ever, missed a match.

He was a most familiar figure on North West grounds with that peculiar little run-up as he commenced to bowl his slow right-arm, well flighted, off spin deliveries, which brought him a most impressive number of wickets, season after season. Left-handed batsmen in particular, found him most difficult to cope with. Often the backbone of the City attack and match winner, he topped the club's bowling averages on numerous occasions and featured on North West representative teams.

Angus played in an era of North West cricket when the art of spin bowling was of the highest standard ever and the two superb left arm spinners, Scott Huey and John Flood were at their peak and as a result he was to an extent somewhat overshadowed and thus was underrated. Nevertheless he was in his own right an outstanding off-spin bowler and certainly the best in post war cricket.

Of his many outstanding bowling performances, undoubtedly the one most recalled was shared with his brother Raymond, also an off-spin bowler, was in a match with Donemana that is now a part of local cricket folklore. On a June evening in 1952 City went to Donemana in a league fixture and batting first were dismissed for a meagre 47 runs. What appeared to be a mere formality for the home batsmen to get the necessary runs, actually turned into a nightmare for them as they were completely baffled by the twin spin bowling of the Platt brothers and were routed for a mere 25 runs.

The result caused a sensation and as it was achieved solely by two slow spin bowlers on the small home ground of a formidable team, it surely must be ratted as one of the finest feats of spin bowling in the History of North West cricket.

Another exceptional performance was at Sion Mills when he bowled with great skill to dismiss the last four home batsmen in successive deliveries to give his club victory. He was also a competent batsman with a number of centuries to his credit. Despite such a long and distinguished playing career, Angus featured only on three City of Derry winning teams - in 1946 the club won the Senior League and in 1946 and 1947 the Faughan Valley Cup and indeed it was quite remarkable that such a talented cricketer never ever graced the scene of a final of the Senior Cup.

But such lack of success at club level never diminished his love for the game or his City club. Also a most talented hockey player, he was a stalwart of the local YMCA Club for many seasons. He played in the left half position, where his constructive play contributed to many of the club's successes and he was a regular selection on North West representative teams.

Angus Platt was a person of extremely friendly and affable disposition and was most popular with everyone.

He was indeed a very fine sportsman who competed with the will to win, yet always fair and generous to opponents and accepting victory and defeat with equal grace.