Bowden bags lifetime achiever award

Sussex President David Bowden collected the prestigious lifetime achiever award at the recent ECB Natwest OSCA ceremony.
David Bowden (left) receives his lifetime achiever award from former England captain Mike GattingDavid Bowden (left) receives his lifetime achiever award from former England captain Mike Gatting
David Bowden (left) receives his lifetime achiever award from former England captain Mike Gatting

The event, which rewards cricket’s unsung heroes, was hosted by Jonathan Agnew at Lord’s yesterday.

Over 400 people came together from across England and Wales to celebrate heroes of the recreational game.

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Bowden made the move to Sussex back in 1973, making the move to join Preston Nomads Cricket Club as a player before becoming captain, then taking up position of chairman at Nomads.

As well as his Preston Nomads duties, Bowden also sat on the Sussex Premier League Council for over 20 years and is currently President.

Bowden was co-opted as a director of Sussex 12 years ago, before becoming an elected director. After being installed as president in March of last year, with both Sussex County Cricket Club and Sussex Cricket Board merging in November 2015.

At the time, Bowden became the first chairman of a new charitable subsidiary, Sussex Cricket Foundation, responsible for recreational cricket and community activities.

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Bowden was delighted to collect his award and said: “I am thrilled, honoured and proud to have been chosen to receive this prestigious award, not least because it reflects well on the Sussex cricket family. Like all volunteers in cricket, we give our services freely because we have a deep passion for the sport and because we feel that we can do something to help make a difference. We do not give our time and commitment in order to achieve accolades such as this, but we get real joy and pleasure sometimes from seeing some of the youngsters we support thrive in their chosen path.

“One of our desires is to use the power of cricket to give young people better life-skills to prepare them for their futures. The mission for Sussex Cricket is to create a passion for cricket in the heart of every community and that can only be achieved through the 7,000 volunteers who already devote their services in the 245 local cricket clubs throughout the County. Long may they flourish and I thank all of them most sincerely for all they do.”

Current Sussex chairman Jim May felt Bowden’s national recognition is well deserved.

He said: “We are all delighted that David has won national recognition which is well deserved. He is an inspirational figure who has carried out a wide variety of roles with great distinction in the cricketing world. David’s legacy will be to have played a leading role in putting in place the structure and strategy for Sussex Cricket which will be beneficial in creating opportunities for cricketers of all ages and sexes throughout the county.”