Hampshire Chairman Pays Tribute To David Stewart

Hampshire Cricket’s Chairman, Rod Bransgrove, led the tributes from the South Coast Club to David Stewart, stalwart of Surrey County Cricket Club, who passed away last week following a short but devastating illness.

“David has been a constant throughout all of my time in cricket” reflected Bransgrove, “and over those 20 years or so, I have only ever known him as charming, honest and kind. He was a true gentleman of the game and will be very sadly missed, not only by Surrey CCC, but by the whole cricketing fraternity.”

Stewart served on the Surrey General Committee from 1995 and, uniquely, went on to hold the three key positions of Treasurer, Chairman and President of the Club over the ensuing years. He was also a highly regarded director of ECB and Chairman of the ECB Audit Committee.

He was a high achiever, being credited with playing a key role in the financial transformation of Surrey CCC, together with Chairman, Mike Soper, around the turn of the Century. He then took over as Chairman in 2003 and oversaw the development of the impressive OCS Stand. Throughout all of this, and after, he retained his modest and unassuming demeanour.

Amongst many other things, he worked with Bransgrove, MCC Chief Executive, Keith Bradshaw, Lancashire Chairman, Michael Cairns and Deloitte Sport in 2008 to produce the well-documented “Stewart/Bradshaw Report”, proposing a City-based, Twenty20 Franchise Competition which, in structure, was very similar to that of The Hundred which will debut this year.

“I have said many times” added Bransgrove “that one of the best things about the game of cricket is the fact that it seems, in general, to attract nice people and David Stewart stood out even amongst this select population. His hearty welcome to The Oval and warm handshake were always genuine as was his interest in other people’s well-being. He loved Surrey CCC to the core, yet displayed an unusual empathy with those who had similar passions for other Clubs and was always respectful of them. I know his friends and colleagues at Surrey CCC are reeling at his loss right now and I offer them my sincerest condolences. In particular, I am thinking of David’s wife, Judy, and daughter Susie, to whom I send my heartfelt sympathies.”