A FORMER chairman and chief executive of Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Television has been appointed chairman of a Durham Cricket Club.

Clive Leach, 69, played 39 first-class games for Warwickshire from 1955 to 58, then became the professional at Bishop Auckland Cricket Club for six years, during which he played 66 times for Durham.

He is executive chairman of the Yorkshire Enterprise Group, a venture capital business with five offices across the UK, and holds several non-executive directorships in Yorkshire.

He lives in Barkston Ash, between York and Leeds, but has no connections with Yorkshire CCC and said he was delighted to take up his new role with Durham.

He said: "I am honoured to become involved. The North-East has always been important to me and I hope that through my business and cricketing background, I can help realise the Durham dream of having a successful team, developing the Riverside and hosting regular international cricket.

"I do not see my role as purely commercial, because it is folly to separate that from the playing side as they feed off each other.

"The commercial end does better when you have a fine team and I shall endeavour to ensure high standards are maintained in both.

"We have a terrific ground with wonderful access and it is ready to move on. I see this becoming an iconic sporting arena to be used for other activities.

"The site is perfect for development and we have a real opportunity to move on from a good, strong base. People will see enormous benefits because even a one-day international fills hotels, restaurants, taxis and helps all the service industries."

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