Victory for Egerton Park in tribute to chairman

On a special day of remembrance at Egerton Park Cricket Club, the Sunday XI claimed victory over Stamford Town CC by a five-wicket winning margin.

More than 200, family members, friends, former work colleagues and cricket club members gathered to pay tribute to beloved chairman David Glover, who passed away in February aged just 61.

Charlie Madden, David Rodenby, Henry Newton, Kieran Wade, Jack Anderson, Richard Haffenden, Alex Barber, Sam Simons, Charlie Haffenden, Will Creed and Ollie Watchorn lined up for the Park.

The home side started well with Charlie Haffenden and the relentless Anderson picking up two early wickets.

Stamford started to put together a partnership with half centuries from both Holland and Dumigan, however, with tight bowling from Creed and Barber, the run rate did not get away from Egerton.

Stamford went in at the lunch break, 186-3 from 40 overs.

The park accelerated from the start of their batting performance with an opening 50 partnership between Newton and Barber, setting the tone well for the innings to come.

After a brief rain delay, Egerton lost both openers in quick succession which allowed Richard Haffenden and young Sam Simons to steady the ship with a partnership of 42.

The away team picked up a steady flow of wickets with Haffenden and the big-hitting Ollie Watchorn departing.

This left Egerton Park 115-4 through 28 overs.

With the match nicely poised, club captain Charlie Madden came to the crease.

Charlie went on to hit a match-winning 50 to take Egerton Park home to an important victory.

Prior to the match, David’s best mate Greg Tyler led the tributes by highlighting the love David had for his family, wife Marie, son Tom and daughter Victoria.

David grew up playing cricket, joining Egerton Park in 1990, playing regularly with his left arm spinners.

Always prepared to take responsibility, he became captain of the Second team so successfully that they won the league in 2006.

His proudest moment was playing alongside his 15-year-old son Tom.

On another occasion he was at the non-striker end when a young Stuart Broad scored his first 50 for the club.

David became club chairman in 2015, a task he was proud to take on, and carried out with the passion he had shown for playing.

After he retired in 2019, taking over looking after the square and preparing the wickets.

When the season of 2020 was foreshortened by Covid 19, David undertook the autumn work looking forward to cricket in 2021.

His illness progressed rapidly, and he was not able to see the result of efforts fulfilled this season.

Mr Tyler proposed a toast to David, glasses raised by all those present in memory of ‘player, our chairman and our friend’.

A buffet lunch was taken on a sunny and memorable afternoon, followed by the cricket match against Stamford Town.