Devon Cricket Board - League honours founding father Coleman

League honours founding father Coleman

ONE of the founding fathers of the Devon Cricket League has been honoured for his contribution to the competition and the game.
Exeter’s Bruce Coleman was a member of the original working party that started meeting in 1971 to discuss the creation of a Devon cricket league. He drew up the first constitution.
Although league cricket was common in most of the country then – Cornwall’s league was formed in 1905 – Devon had stuck with Saturday afternoon time games against local opposition and long-standing touring sides.
The Devon Cricket League was formed in 1972 with Exeter, Plymouth, South Devon, Sidmouth, Exeter St Thomas and Exmouth among the founder members.
Torquay were the inaugural winners, ahead or Exmouth and Plymstock.
Coleman played in the competition for nearly 20 years – and played for Devon too - and in retirement was Exeter’s chairman of selectors for another 20 years, as well as clocking up 25 years as club treasurer and a decade or more of duty as 1^st XI scorer.
Coleman has been heavily involved in cricket at the University of Exeter for more than 40 years. He arrived at the unverisity in 1969 as a lecturer in history and retired nearly 40 years later, having been deputy vice-chancellor and dean of the Faculty of Arts.
It was Coleman’s commitment to the game that was recognised by league managers when he was presented with services to cricket award by league chairman Stuart Munday at the competition’s annual meeting at the Exeter Court Hotel.
Coleman said the league had grown out of all recognition since 1972 and he was proud to have helped get it started.
“There were 12 clubs in one division, mostly based on teams on Plymouth’s fixture list, now there are more than 80 in 13 or 14 divisions,” said Coleman.
“I can remember all the meetings we used to have at South Devon CC to get the league started, never realising where it would take us,” said Coleman.
“When I wrote the constitution it was based on a league in Nottinghamshire and we kept it as simple as we could.
“I often think back to those early days when I see Graham Shears, who was our first secretary and went on to become chairman and now president.
“Graham and I are the only two people from the very early days still involved. Most the others have died, apart from Tony Ward (Plymouth), who moved away some time again and has lost contact.”
Coleman, who is 76 this year, plans to carry on for two more seasons with Exeter before retiring for good.
“It is time for old guard to stand aside and let a new generation take over,” said Coleman.
“Julian Smith has taken over as our chairman recently and I have a successor in mind for treasurer.”
“I have enough to keep me going until the end of the 2017 season, then it will be time to hand over.”

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