His unruly mop of black hair might have turned silvery but that perfect fast bowler’s frame remains remarkably untarnished by age.

John Snow’s firm gaze – which could turn into a hostile glare when confronted by pedantic administrators, fussy umpires or Australians – took in the scene as he stood at the Cromwell Road end of Hove’s ground during their Rothesay County Championship match against Surrey recently.

It would have been a surprise to find him at the Sea End given he preferred running down the hill during his playing days.

He may be 83 but Snow still has the air of a great fast bowler, hero to many youngsters who watched their first cricket in the 1960s and 70s. That he only played 49 Tests, between his 1965 debut and final match 11 years later, owed much to the whims of selectors and, yes, a few infractions which even now might cost him. No autobiography was better named than his Cricket Rebel.

The Australians couldn’t believe their luck – skipper Ian Chappell reckoned they could count on the England selectors doing them a couple of favours in most series – when he was left out of the squad sent to defend the Ashes in 1974-75. Mike Denness’ team were given such a horrendous time by Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson that the chair reserved for the next batter in became known as the ‘condemned cell’. And they did not have England’s premier speedster, the man who had done more to win back the urn four years earlier and retain it in 1972, to respond.

Elsewhere in the ground at Hove, Geoff Arnold – Snow’s new-ball partner for England on several occasions but nowhere near often as it should have been – was on duty for the ECB. Known as “Horse” because of his GG initials, he is also into his ninth decade but remarkably fit and still in harness. Arnold was closely studying the performance of Surrey’s Gus Atkinson, who was playing his first Championship match of the season and attempting to counter the sort of dead pitch which caused Snow and Arnold – who spent most of his career with Surrey before finishing it at Sussex – to muttering about their lot in life.

There are few more astute observers of the game, and fast bowlers in particular, than Arnold which is why his expertise as a coach remains in demand.

Sir Geoffrey Boycott reckoned several years ago on Test Match Special that, over a 25-year career opening for Yorkshire (and England), Arnold was his doughtiest opponent.

It was a happy surprise when, despite having had to fight off another attack from throat cancer with all the determination he once reserved for facing the West Indies speed merchants, Sir Geoffrey was among the guests at the launch dinner for this year’s Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.

He’s now 84 but still looks in remarkably good shape for a man who has had such health issues.

It also underlined how many of their generation are no more – Derek Underwood, Bob Willis, Mike Hendrick, Tony Greig, Peter Lever, Bob Woolmer and Graham Dilley (who died aged just 52 in 2011) – are all among those who have departed.

All the more important then to cherish those still with us.

By Richard Spiller