Hall of Fame cricketer Sheridan Raynor died earlier today in hospital where he had spent the final days of his life.The former Southampton Rangers and Somerset Cup Match all-rounder slipped into a coma after suffering a stroke nearly a year ago at his family's service station .At times Raynor, 78, did show encouraging signs of recovery but in the end never regained consciousness.His death has already impacted on the local cricket fraternity who now mourn his passing.“Southampton Rangers has lost one of our finest and one of the best cricketers Bermuda has produced,” said nephew and Southampton Rangers president Randy Raynor. “This is huge loss for Bermuda cricket.”The late cricketer achieved numerous milestones during his career at club and international levels and after retiring from the game gave years of service as a groundsman.“Even after Sheridan finished playing he made a contribution to cricket as a groundsman,” added Raynor. “He was a gentleman both on and off the field and was very instrumental in my career as well. He was like a father figure to me.”The late Somerset Cup Match captain was inducted into the Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and in the 1960s shared in a famous double- century partnership with Dennis Wainwright playing for Bermuda against an English Counties Select on a Tour of England.Both batsmen scored polished centuries.“Sheridan and Dennis put Bermuda on the map when many people didn't even know anything about the Island,” said the late Raynor's brother Reggie. “After they produced that partnership they (English players and supporters) saluted those two young Bermudians and had a greater respect for Bermuda when they left.“Sheridan's loss is a big loss, not only for Bermuda, but for the sporting world as well.”Raynor's passing arrives just months after the death of his brother Carl following a bout of illness.