Batsman, captain, president – and much more besides

David Perrin of the Club Cricket Conference pays tribute to Richard Briance

Richard Briance was widely known in club cricket and was associated with many clubs and teams, a status recognised in 1996 when he was elected that year’s president of the Club Cricket Conference, a centuryold federation of cricket clubs in the south.

Richard was at Wimbledon Park CC before joining Shepherds Bush CC in 1964, going on to skipper them for three years. He brought youngsters into the team including allrounder Keith Jones who went on to play for Middlesex.

He moved briefly to Kettering CC but moved south and began his longest association with Chichester Priory Park CC in the Sussex League.

He served as an opening batsman, captain, then for many years president.

He worked hard to develop the club’s strength as well as its social side, especially during its renowned annual August Cricket Week, which attracted leading teams like two-time national club champions Teddington CC and the touring Kenyan Kongonis.

Richard was proud that his son David succeeded him as both an opener and captain at the club. His grandson George is now doing well too, playing for Middleton. Richard’s enjoyment of cricket went far beyond local clubs. He was a keen player for illustrious nomadic team, The Wanderers, now defunct.

He played for the MCC and for several years managed its week-long tour to the Channel Islands.

With friends from various clubs he formed the Buckingham Cavaliers, a touring team which went on to stage several tours to South Africa and an annual tour to Jersey which lasted nearly 30 years. Aged 68, he went as a supporter on the Cavaliers’ tour to Argentina in 2001.

At the Club Cricket Conference Richard was on its former executive council before becoming president.

He was proud to be among the former CCC presidents who met the CCC patron, the Duke of Edinburgh, in 2010 and again at the CCC’S centenary lunch in 2015. Through his sportswear businesses, he supplied kit for CCC overseas tours. He was appointed a CCC life vicepresident.

Richard will be remembered for his devotion to the game. He found friends and much fun from cricket. After Cricket Week matches at Chichester, he liked to muster home and visiting players into what he called his big band, leading them in miming instruments to the music of Glenn Miller.