Barmy Army pay tribute after seaplane tragedy

England's best-known group of travelling fans - the Barmy Army - were planning to pay tribute before the Sydney Test to the cricket-loving group who died in a seaplane tragedy in the city.

Richard Cousins, the head of the catering company Compass, was one of five Britons who died, along with the Australian-based pilot, when the Sydney Seaplanes flight plunged into the sea on a return flight from Rose Bay on Sydney harbour.

Mr Cousins, 58, and his sons William and Edward had designed their holiday itinerary in Australia around attending the Melbourne and Sydney Tests. They lost their lives, as did Mr Cousins' fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter Heather, despite frantic rescue attempts.

The Barmy Army were to hold a minute's silence before friendly matches against the The Richies - a group of Australian cricket supporters who attend matches in the guise of Richie Benaud - and then before the 'The Bashes', a T20 Series between The Barmy Army and their Australian counterparts, The Fanatics, at Coogee Oval.

Mr Cousins, had announced in September that he would retire from Compass this year after more than a decade as chief executive. He was due to marry Ms Bowden, a journalist, later this year.

The OCS stand at Surrey's Kia Oval's ground was constructed in 2005 in a joint venture with the Compass Group. Cousins was also a Surrey member.

Surrey's chairman, Richard Thompson, said: "Having met Richard last month, we talked at length about his desire to become more involved with Surrey CCC after his retirement. Surrey have lost a great friend and partner.

"Richard was both a great man and a great businessman. Sometimes you can be one; but not both. Richard managed both with real sincerity and integrity. He was a one off."