Former ECB chief David Collier passes away at 70

David Collier, the former chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has passed away at 70.

Collier was ECB’s second Chief Executive, succeeding Tim Lamb. He previously worked at Essex, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, and Nottinghamshire in administrative roles.

In his decade-long tenure from 2004 to 2014, England recorded four men’s Ashes victories and also clinched their maiden ICC title, the 2010 World T20. The women’s team won five Ashes series in the same span, as well as lifted both the ICC Women’s World Cup and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009.

However, the pinnacle of Collier’s tenure came in 2005 with the double Ashes success in the summer of 2005, when thousands of English cricket supporters flocked to central London to celebrate the historic triumph.

Collier also served as CEO of the Rugby League International Federation and had a stint as Vice President of American Airways. He was also a successful hockey umpire.

During his time at the ECB office, he partnered with former chairman Gils Clarke and negotiated the historic rights deal, worth 220 million pounds, with Sky Sports in December 2004, leading to the end of English cricket's association with free-to-air TV.

Collier served cricket with great distinction: ECB CEO Richard Gould

Richard Gould, the ECB's current CEO, said, 

"It's immensely sad to learn of the death of David Collier. Everyone who knew and worked with David will speak to what a gentleman he was, and to how hard he worked in leading our game.

"He served cricket with great distinction, and he was instrumental in a period of growth which has contributed to where the game is today. Some of our earliest advances in the women's and disability games were made under David, and I know he was proud of taking the game forward during his time at the ECB - his contribution speaks for itself.

"The thoughts of all of us at the ECB are with everyone who knew and loved David."