POORAKA cricket club has withdrawn from its Adelaide Turf Cricket Association match against Payneham on Saturday following the death of opener Rocco Illuminato, 31, on Friday night.

The sad news rocked the suburban cricket club, where he was a much-loved member of the club and an important player.

The A-Grade opener top-scored with 48 against Payneham last weekend and his death — which some of his mates only learned about via social media on Saturday morning — led the club to cancel the remainder of the game.

“The reason was he was very close to the A-graders,” club secretary Michael Mulholland said. “He was a great club man with a wide group of friends.”

Illuminato was playing in his 99th game for the club.

Tributes to Illuminato on social media describe him as the life of the party but also as a passionate cricketer who always sought to help those around him improve their games.