Photo Credit: Twitter Header Photo of @BeefyBotham
Lord Botham is set to become Durham‘s new honorary president following the conclusion of his tenure as club chair.
The former England captain, who played for Durham during their initial seasons in county cricket in the early 1990s, served as chair from 2017. Under his leadership, the club overcame financial difficulties, regained its place in Division One, and achieved Tier 1 status for its women’s team for the upcoming season.
“I am delighted with what has been achieved at the club during my tenure both on and off the field,” Botham said in a statement on the club’s website.
The 69-year-old will be succeeded as chair by Phil Collins, a businessman who previously served as vice chair. Botham, a legendary all-rounder with 5,200 runs and 383 wickets in 102 Tests, has been a staunch supporter of cricket in the north east.
He became chair a year after Durham faced significant setbacks, including relegation from Division One due to financial troubles, the imposition of a salary cap, and the loss of Test match venue status.
Despite these challenges, Botham oversaw the club’s resurgence, a contribution acknowledged by ECB chair Richard Thompson, “Lord Botham’s period as chair has been marked by Durham’s strong recovery and the conveyer belt of English talent it has produced. The club has been put on a more secure footing, returned to the First Division of the men’s County Championship, and it will also compete in the top tier of the new women’s domestic structure next year.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Stay ahead of the latest cricket industry trends by subscribing to our free cricexec “daily briefing” newsletter.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
