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The Kiwis missed their chance of lifting the World Cup trophy at the Lord’s balcony due to inferior boundary count after both the 50 overs and the Super Over ended in ties.
Sadly, New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham was hit with a double whammy as his high-school teacher and coach breathed his last after he belted a six into the stands during the thrilling climax of the Cricket World Cup final against England.
The Kiwis missed their chance of lifting the World Cup trophy at the Lord’s balcony due to inferior boundary count after both the 50 overs and the Super Over ended in ties.
While paying tribute to his mentor from childhood Dave Gordon, the all-rounder turned to Twitter expressing his distress over losing his ‘high school teacher, coach and friend.’
“Dave Gordon, my High School teacher, coach and friend. Your love of this game was infectious, especially for those of us lucky enough to play under you. How appropriate you held on until just after such a match. Hope you were proud. Thanks for everything. RIP,” he said.
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Dave Gordon, my High School teacher, coach and friend. Your love of this game was infectious, especially for those of us lucky enough to play under you. How appropriate you held on until just after such a match. Hope you were proud. Thanks for everything. RIP
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 17, 2019
“Thanks Jimmy, my sister and I were with Dad at the end, cheering for you and the team. He was so proud of you,” Gordon’s daughters Leonie Gordon replied.
The international media reported that the former Auckland Grammar School teacher and coach David James Gordon passed away after Neesham hit the maximum during the Super Over.
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Fox Cricket said that Gordon’s daughters Leonie Gordon and Kimberley Allan had earlier joked that their seriously ill dad would be sure to stick around long enough catch the big game.
And sure enough, it added, it was not until New Zealand began batting in the Super Over in a bid to end the deadlock with England that Gordon’s breathing began to change. “Then Jimmy hit that big six in the Super Over and Dad just stopped breathing,” Leonie Gordon said.
It seems heartbreak and anguish were in store for New Zealand during their World Cup final. On July 14, England defeated New Zealand in a thrilling final on boundary count to clinch their first-ever World Cup trophy.