Devastated club cricketers today described Neil Marchant as a legend of the Sussex League.

Marchant, a long-serving wicketkeeper and opening batsman with Brighton and Hove, died suddenly after collapsing on Saturday. He was 36.

He had reported severe back pains on Friday which forced him to reluctantly forego his other sporting passion, watching Albion.

The former St Matthias player, popularly known as Beastie, joined Brighton and Hove in the early Eighties and made his Sussex League debut as a teenager.

He captained the side for several years, represented Sussex Seconds and reached a national indoor final at Lord's with his club.

A delivery driver by profession, he was well known for his attacking strokeplay, friendly manner and cheeky sense of humour.

Cricketing colleague Simon Bellm said: "He was at the centre of everything that was good about Brighton and Hove. I am sure all Sussex League clubs will feel a sense of loss at this news.

"He was the sort of guy all the opposing players would say hello to and have a chat with.

"His name was also well known around Sussex because he was such a good player and prolific run scorer. He lived life to the full and was always keen to be out and about."

Fellow cricketer Nigel Adams described Marchant as "a cheeky chappy" and added: "I could not think of anybody more liked in the world of cricket."

Brighton and Hove members got together on Saturday after hearing the news.

Bellm added: "There were about 13 of us and the constant theme in our discussion was that, when anybody joined Brighton and Hove, he was the first person they got to know.

"He had a spirit of excitement and daring. He could be naughty as well but in a cheeky sort of way."

Keith Greenfield, a long-time friend and Sussex Seconds skipper when Marchant was called up, spoke of a major loss to cricket in the county and remembered "an unbelievably talented player."

Ramey Guilford was one of the many youngsters offered advice by Marchant. He said: "My brother Greg and I both came through the ranks and Neil was always encouraging us to enjoy the game. When Neil went out to bat we all made sure we were watching."

Richard Spink said his former team mate's sense of humour "revealed a depth of humanity most of us can only hint at."

Team mate Chris Pearson said Marchant was the best skipper he had ever played with and added: "He was good at lots of things and he was very tactically aware. He used to beat us all at chess. Twenty or 30 people will be saying 'my best friend has died'."

New Zealand Test batsman Mark Richardson, who played for Brighton early in his career, was among the first to send his sympathies to the Marchant family, paying tribute to "a gifted strokeplayer and personality of true quality."

Richardson was not the only big name Marchant knew. Impressed friends still recall the time former England bowler Gladstone Small walked into a busy Edgbaston pavilion, picked out the Brighton player and said: "Hi Beastie, how are you?"

Tony Millard a founder of the Sussex League, described Marchant as "a good Premier League cricketer who died in his prime."

He added: "Neil was an adventurous batsman who could dig his side out of a hole. He was 100 per cent enthusiastic and 100 per cent Brighton and Hove."

Marchant was unmarried and lived with his girlfriend Angela Farthing.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.