31 Mar 2016 | Cricket
Glamorgan legend and former opening batsman Alan Jones has been appointed the next President of the Welsh county and will take up his new role with the Club on 1st April 2016.
Current Glamorgan County Cricket Club President David Morgan OBE DL has completed his term in the role and Alan's appointment was announced at the Club's Annual General Meeting at The SSE SWALEC today (31st March).
David Morgan spent four years as Chairman of Glamorgan between 1993 and 1997 before becoming the Club's President in 2012. During his time as one of the world's top cricket administrators he also enjoyed the positions of ECB Chairman, Deputy Chairman and ICC President, and in 2014 was appointed MCC President. In 2008 David received an OBE for his outstanding services to cricket.
Alan Jones holds a strong claim to being Glamorgan's greatest ever batsmen with over 40,000 runs to his name in all forms of the game for the Welsh county. Indeed, no batsman is likely to surpass his record of 34,056 first-class runs, plus 7,420 in all limited overs games. He also holds the record for having passed over a thousand runs on 23 consecutive occasions.
The stylish left-handed batsman joined the county staff in 1955, and in 1957 he made his county debut in Glamorgan's middle order. In the early 1960's he moved up the order and began his prolific career as an opener alongside a host of other fine players, including Bernard Hedges, Gilbert Parkhouse, Roy Fredericks, Roger Davis and John Hopkins.
In 1982 Alan received the M.B.E. in recognition of his devoted efforts for the Welsh county. He played his final Championship match before retirement against Hampshire at Southampton at the end of the 1983 season and took over as Club Coach. He remained as Director of Coaching until retiring in 1998 after a lifetime of loyal and wholehearted service to the Welsh county and still continues to coaching Wales junior age grade team.
David Morgan OBE DL said: I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Glamorgan President and I am looking forward to seeing the Club's continued progress on and off the field with Barry O'Brien as Chairman and Hugh Morris at the helm of the management team. Alan is the ideal person to succeed me and I'm delighted he has accepted the invitation.
On behalf of the club, my I pass on our collective thanks to David Morgan for his time, effort and commitment in his role as President of the Club, said Chairman Barry O'Brien. David has made an extraordinary contribution to cricket as the Club's Chairman, Chairman of ECB and President of the ICC, whilst his appointment as President of the MCC during an Ashes year was a fitting tribute to his many achievements.
Alan Jones is a legend of the Club and of Welsh cricket, so I cannot think of anyone better to pick up the reins from David. Alan has been and remains one of Glamorgan's finest ever players and we look forward to working with him as President of the Club through an important time in the club's development.
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