Long-serving cricket club president to retire

Lord Naseby has been president of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club for 15 years

The president of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club has announced he is retiring.

Lord Naseby, 87, has been in the role since 2009 and is the club's longest-serving president since 1921.

NCCC says he will be replaced by current chairman Gavin Warren in October.

As Michael Morris MP, Lord Naseby represented the Northampton South constituency between 1974 and 1997, and was deputy speaker of the House of Commons.

The club said he had helped to steer it through a "challenging and sometimes turbulent period of profound change – both at Wantage Road and in the English game as a whole".

Gavin Warren said it was an "honour" to follow in the footsteps of Lord Naseby as club president

Lord Naseby thanked Mr Warren for his work as chairman and said it had been a "privilege" to oversee the club.

"I remember all too clearly the financial and morale challenges Gavin faced when he took over as chairman," Lord Naseby said.

"Today, thanks to Gavin's hard work and relentless enthusiasm, our club is financially solvent as well as playing exciting cricket."

In 2016, Lord Naseby backed proposals for the club to become a limited company – ending almost 140 years of collective ownership through its members.

The move was approved by a large majority.

Speaking on his appointment as president, Mr Warren said: "Lord Naseby's support for NCCC and me as chairman has been phenomenal. We have become great friends and I am pleased that he accepted the role as patron.

"Northamptonshire CCC is a special place and I'm looking forward to continuing my support with the many projects that the club is presently engaged with."

The club also announced that Gary Hoffman would be its new chairman.