“I CAN’T coach man, I’ve got a gift – you can’t coach a gift!”

Colne legend Gary Hunt smiles as he recalls Collis King’s statement on his arrival at the Horsfield.

The West Indian great was one of the most eye catching professionals in the history of the Lancashire League – and he liked to do things his way.

Hunt, who has retired after his 32-year career, feels privileged to have played alongside and against some of the biggest names in the game and he remains a fan of King.

“That was Collis,” he laughed. “He wasn’t being arrogant. He was a gifted player and there is no way you could coach someone to play the way Collis played.

“He was a special talent – and there have been so many.

“I started playing when I was young and I have played with and against the likes of Michael Holding, Kapil Dev, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Javed Miandad, Steve Waugh, Viv Richards and Shane Warne.

“It is the only game where you can play against the superstars of the sport – and I have been lucky.

“But for all the great names, the best pro I have played with is Ben Johnson.”

Aussie Johnson set a league record mark of 1,718 runs in 1996 and Hunt added: “He was a fantastic batsman – as his record shows.”

Hunt will go down as one of the finest all-rounders in the history of the league with more than 8,000 runs and 400-plus wickets to his name.

He admits he will take away so many memories from his time in the middle and says his impressive stats mean less than the on-field achievements.

“I played a long time and was lucky to have an understanding wife in Linda,” he added. “The records are nice but I would have swapped wickets and runs for more silverware.”

Hunt won the Worsley Cup with Colne in 1999 but missed out on the memorable win over Ramsbottom last year because of a holiday.

And while he is now lost to the playing side, the ex-left-arm spinner is still heavily involved at Colne as team manager and coach and throughout the leagues in his role as an agent.

He is also back behind the microphone presenting BBC Radio Lancashire’s revived Cricket Hour and added: “I will still be about.

“I am not the best watcher of the game but that’s it for me now.

“We have a great youth set-up at Colne and people like Jane Lonsdale work so hard to bring the youngsters through and she does a fine job.

“I was going to finish last season but Matt Wilson talked me into playing on but it would be wrong for me to take the place of a youngster trying to break through.

“I started way back in 1979 against Bacup, we lost and I finished against Bacup. We lost so there is some symmetry there.

“But I have had great times.”