The Twelfth Man 2018

25 questions to the youngsters ranging from favourite grounds to favourite players. Richard was frank and forthright as always to conclude a first class evening. David Leatherdale DAVID Leatherdale was a right-handed batsman and right-arm medium fast bowler who joined Worcestershire in 1987 and remained with them for 20 years. He was a key player in the trophy winning teams of the late 1980s and early 90s, and is remembered as a high-quality all rounder and excellent fielder. During the 2005 season he passed 10,000 first-class runs and 5,000 one-day runs, and had 315 wickets in both forms of the game. His highlight was five for 10 against the touring Australians in 1997. After he retired he became Worcestershire’s Commercial Director in December 2006, a role in which he was described by the Worcestershire Chief Executive, Mark Newton, as outstanding, and in August 2010 he succeeded the aforesaid Newton as the Chief Executive. Early in 2016 it was announced that David was to succeed Angus Porter as chief Executive of the Professional Cricketer’s Association. David said he initially got involved in the game at eight years old at Pudsey St. Lawrence. He later managed to get selected for the Yorkshire boys set up but unfortunately this didn’t work out and when Worcestershire came up with an offer David readily accepted. This brought about a 32 Year playing career followed by officialdom at the same club. He was asked about his batting and bowling and said he was initially a batter but mainly due to bowler injuries he was called on more and more, and on occasions opened the bowling. When asked about jobs outside cricket whilst he was playing David informed us that he worked with Radio Wyvern on their charity snowball appeal which raised £136,000 over two years. He did some administrative work for several companies and was a commercial manager for Crusader Sports and leisure who were kit suppliers for many counties. All of this helped tremendously when David went into the commercial department at Worcestershire at the end of his playing career. The question and answer session went on well into overtime with many subjects covered to conclude a great evening. David Smith DAVID Smith last came to see us six years ago and heralds from Newcastle, but it was Warwickshire whom he represented as a right handed-batsman in 197 first-class matches from 1973 to 1985, passing 1,000 runs four times, and in 108 List A matches frequently opening the innings with Dennis Amiss. David’s best season was in 1980, when he scored 1,582 runs at an average of 36.79 with two hundreds and twelve fifties. David played in one Youth Test in 1974, versus the West Indies, scoring 41, and went on to be a very successful county and one day player. After retiring he led a successful business career, and served on the Warwickshire Committee for 9 years. He later spent two years with Leicestershire as chief executive (2008- 2010) and three years in a similar role with Northamptonshire (2011-2014) David served on the ECB Cricket Committee from 2008 to 2010. David gave us a full and interesting background to his upbringing in Geordie-land, playing school cricket and then playing for Northumberland under 15s (v Yorkshire). After much more representative cricket and a short spell at Northamptonshire he was offered a full time Margaret Brayshaw with David Leatherdale