Dave is presently Secretary of Marple Cricket Club as well as being a member of the HPCS Committee and Treasurer of Stockport Cricket Development Group.

Dave went to Marple in 1993 when the coach of the under 13’’s team was taken ill. He volunteered to help keep order of the ten boys along with another non cricketing parent.

That winter Dave took his Level 1 coaching course and really enjoyed the experience as there were several seasoned cricketers on the course, which was led by Jim Kenyon and Richard Newton. Dave believes it was this that re-ignited his love for the game. He was proud to have held is own in such exalted company and the certificates were presented by a much younger (than last month) Mike Hendrick`

Dave became the club’s junior co-ordinator and gradually developed a thriving junior section after enlisting the help of several parents, who later became qualified coaches themselves. By 1996 the number of junior cricketers playing at Marple had risen from 10 to over 60 playing at 4 age levels. Under 18’s, under 15’s, under 13’s and under 11’s, all playing in the Cheshire County League. In 1996 Dave passed his Level 2 Senior Coaching Course again at Northwich.

There has been 2 junior co-ordinators at Marple since Dave passed on the baton to concentrate on admin. There are now in excess of 100 children on the books and extra teams have been added. Marple now has 2 x under 15’s, 2x under 13’s, under 11’s under 9’s and a Girl's team. Dave continues to coach and help on match days.

On the playing side Dave's enthusiasm for the game had been re-ignited at that first coaching course and during the 90’s Cheshire County Cricket Board invited coaches to attend masterclasses given by Mike Gatting, Terry Jenner, Karl Krikken, Otis Gibson and others.

Dave enjoyed several seasons playing for Marple seconds, thirds and over 40’s. He took over the captaincy of the third team in 2002. They always had fun but rarely won matches prior to that season often turning out with 9 or 10 men. Dave identified a few of his older juniors and promised them a game every week. Some of the stalwarts bought into the regime of warm ups, teamwork and going for everything in the field. The third team won the league in 2002 and finished third in the higher division in 2003.

On the administrative side, Dave has served on both the cricketing and general committee at Marple CC for many years, and has become their representative on the Stockport Cricket Development Group, a forum that swap information amongst cricket teams in the borough. Representatives from Cheshire Cricket Board; Child welfare; Sport Stockport and Stockport Schools pass on info of coaching, funding, Child welfare, school tournaments and lately updated on Chance to Shine delivered in the borough by Cheshire Cricket Board coaches.

Dave became treasurer of SCDG in 2004 under the chairmanship of firstly the late Bert Crutchley who, when aged 72, got an award for being the oldest player to score a century playing as wicket keeper batsman for Bredbury St Marks.

Dave has been a member of High Peak Cricket Society since 1996. He was elected to the Committee in 2000 and served for five years. Owing to work commitments, he did not seek re-election at the AGM in 2005. In 2011, his circumstance changed and he was elected to serve on The High Peak Cricket Society Committee once again.

Dave has been a wonderful servant, not just to Marple CC and High Peak Cricket Society, but to cricket in general. The Society is pleased to have this opportunity to thank Dave for his 'Service to Cricket' and present him with the 'Norman Harris Trophy'.  

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