The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is mourning the loss of David Collier, its former Chief Executive, who passed away at the age of 70. Collier served as the ECB’s second Chief Executive from 2004 to 2014, overseeing a transformative decade for English cricket.
Before joining the ECB, Collier held leadership roles at several county clubs, including Essex, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, and Nottinghamshire. He succeeded Tim Lamb in the role and guided the game through a period of significant on- and off-field development.
Key achievements during Collier’s tenure
Collier’s decade-long leadership saw numerous historic moments for English cricket:
- England Men won the Ashes four times (2005, 2009, 2010–11, 2013)
- England Women won the Ashes five times during the same period
- England Women won both the ICC Women’s World Cup and T20 World Cup in 2009
- England Men lifted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2010
One of the defining moments of Collier’s tenure was the iconic double Ashes victory in 2005, when both the men’s and women’s teams triumphed over Australia. Celebrations drew massive crowds and helped elevate the public profile of cricket in England and Wales.
Tributes from the ECB
Richard Gould, Chief Executive of the ECB, paid tribute to Collier’s legacy:
“It’s immensely sad to learn of the death of David Collier. Everyone who knew and worked with David will speak to what a gentleman he was, and to how hard he worked in leading our game.
He served cricket with great distinction, and he was instrumental in a period of growth which has contributed to where the game is today. Some of our earliest advances in the women’s and disability games were made under David, and I know he was proud of taking the game forward during his time at the ECB – his contribution speaks for itself.
The thoughts of all of us at the ECB are with everyone who knew and loved David.”
David Collier’s impact on English cricket will be remembered for generations. His leadership played a key role in growing the game, both domestically and internationally, and in laying the groundwork for future success.
