Club Cricket Conference

Friday, 26th April 2024

CCC centenary year boosted by Collier's OBE

By Charles Randall

31 December 2014


David Collier, due to become the Club Cricket Conference president in March 2015, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List, a recognition that gives the recreational game a lift.

Collier agreed to let his name go forward before he retired as chief executive of the ECB and he replaces Paul Hooper, of Addiscombe CC, for the Conference's centenary year. An exceptional club player in his days at Colchester & East Essex, Loughborough Town and Clarendon Park, Collier captained England Universities at two sports - cricket and hockey – and his son Mark, a former school team-mate of Stuart Broad, played for Egerton Park.

Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, said Collier's OBE was richly deserved. “He provided outstanding leadership for ECB over the last decade, a period which saw record levels of investment in our professional and recreational games, significant growth in women's and disabilities cricket, and major on-field successes for both the England men's and women's teams,” he said.

Grass-roots of cricket is recognised with a British Empire Medal for a retired vet, Ed Davies, chairman of Bishops Cannings CC and a wicketkeeper. He founded the club with a group of friends as recently as 1988 and the set-up has grown to four adult sides, six junior teams, a 150-strong membership and a new pavilion at Spaniels Bridge. Bishops Cannings make their debut in the Wiltshire County League in 2015.