The world of cricket today paid tribute to former England captain and "great gentleman" of the game Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge, who died after a long battle against illness.

The legendary batsman, who suffered a stroke in July, died at his home at Angmering Park, near Littlehampton, in the early hours of this morning. He was 67.

His son Chris, currently in Pakistan covering England's tour, said the whole family was saddened by the news.

"It came as a great shock as he was recovering well," he said.

Lord Cowdrey was the fourth highest-scoring England player in Test history, with 7,264 runs from his 114 Tests, and scored 22 centuries.

He still held the Test record for the highest fourth-wicket partnership, with Peter May of 411, set against Australia in Sydney in 1946-7. He also finished with 107 first class hundreds to his name and 42,719 runs at an average of 44.82.

Current England captain Nasser Hussain paid tribute to the cricketing legend and former MCC president.

He said: "As well as being one of the most gifted batsmen of his generation, he was also one of the nicest people you could meet in the game, and a good friend to the England team - he will be much missed."

Former Australian captain Richie Benaud said it was a "sad day".

He said: "Colin was a fine cricketer and a great lover of the game. He was someone who wanted the game to do well."

"You hear a lot of people classed as being great lovers of cricket - well Colin Cowdrey did with a passion, and it is sad to see him go at a relatively young age. He was a lovely, graceful player and a very good batsman."

Lord Cowdrey's former Test teammate Tom Graveney said his death was a "great shock".

"He was first and foremost a perfect gentleman and he did enormous good for the game as chairman of the ICC, bringing in neutral umpires and codes of conduct," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"He was a beautiful player. Nobody struck the ball through the covers as apparently gently as Colin. He was a gentle player and a wonderful man."

Fellow England veteran Trevor Bailey described Lord Cowdrey as "a very gentle gentleman" and went on: "He was one of the great batsmen in the world, beautiful to watch.

"He was a good imitator of people, with a wicked sense of humour - he loved to do the Compton walk or the Laker run-up," he told the Today programme.

Former England opener and coach David Lloyd said they had first become friends during the 1974-5 Ashes tour of Australia.

"After the tour and throughout my cricket career from then on he has always kept in touch, he has either rung or dropped me a line at every turn - I think that was the hallmark of the man, he was not only a great cricketer but a great gentleman.

Lord Cowdrey had three sons by his first wife, Penny, two of whom played for Kent - Chris, who also played for England, and Graham.

After a divorce he married Anne, a daughter of the Duke of Norfolk.