Clark was born in Barming in Kent. He played first-class cricket for five years, appearing for Kent County Cricket Club. He was Kent's captain for the last three years of his career before retiring at the end of the 1951 season. He was President of MCC in 1977–78.[2]
During World War II he served with the British Army, receiving a commission as an officer in the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) on 16 March 1940.[3] He was then a parachute instructor at Ringway during the formation of the British Army's airborne forces, and was subsequently attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, with whom he fought in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. During the attack on Sicily his glider landed in the sea and he swam to shore with three other survivors. He was then posted to HQ 1st Airborne Division and ended up at the bridge in Arnhem during Operation Market Garden with 2 Para, where he was eventually taken prisoner. A modest man, he never mentioned his wartime service.[3]
He is likely to be best remembered for chairing the committee set up by the MCC in 1965 to "examine the future of county cricket in the widest possible terms and if thought fit to recommend alterations in the structure and playing conditions of the County Championship". The first-class counties rejected most of the recommendations made in the so-called "Clark Report", including those for reducing the County Championship to sixteen games and introducing a new one-day league, also of sixteen games. However, before many years had passed changes not dissimilar to these would be introduced. According to Mike Turner, a member of the Clark committee: "We started the ball rolling. The Clark Report was a great stimulus for fresh thinking."[4][5]
Clark was the tour manager of the 1970-71 English Ashes tour of Australia. The England fast bowler John Snow wrote that the tour "emphasised the gulf between players and administrators" and "I was sick of the biased attitude and incompetence which was apparent in cricket administration".[6] Clark was described by the England captain Ray Illingworth as "an amiable, but somewhat ineffectual man"[7] and there were soon divisions between him and the players.
John Snow had bowled over 50 eight-ball overs in the First Test and was rested for the state match against Western Australia, but Clark insisted that he practice in the nets with the others. Snow bowled a couple of desultory overs and Clark berated him for five minutes after which Snow told him "that as far as my good conduct money was concerned he could swallow it" and went walkabout until the next day.[8]Ray Illingworth smoothed things over, but after the Second Test Clark criticized both captains for cautious play, England for their short-pitched bowling and indicated that he would prefer to see Australia win 3-1 than see four more draws. Ray Illingworth only discovered this when he was asked for a comment by a journalist in the morning and the rest of the team when they read the newspapers at the airport.[9] As a result, Illingworth effectively took over the running of the tour with the support of the players and Clark's influence declined.[10]
Clark's only ally was the vice-captain Colin Cowdrey, also from Kent, who became isolated as a result.[11] In the final Test at Sydney, Clark tried to push Illingworth back onto the field when he took the team off because of the crowd throwing beer cans after the Snow–Jenner incident.[clarification needed] A furious Illingworth said he would not return until the playing area had been cleared and the crowd had calmed down and objected to Clark constantly siding with the Australians against his own team. When the team returned to England, Illingworth said that "all hell would break loose" if anyone was denied his good conduct bonus, but this did not happen. However, Geoffrey Boycott and John Snow had to report to Lord's for a dressing down by the MCC Secretary Billy Griffith for their behaviour.[12]
Notesedit
^. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
^Wisden Cricketer's Almanack, 2005 edition, "Births and Deaths of Other Notables", p. 183.
^ ab"1st British Airborne Division officer histories". Unit Histories. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
^Wisden Cricketer's Almanack, 1967 edition: "Counties reject the Clark plan"
^Chalke, Stephen (29 June 1989). Summer's Crown: The Story of Cricket's County Championship. Fairfield Books. pp. 212–213. ISBN9780956851154.
david, clark, cricketer, david, graham, clark, january, 1919, october, 2013, english, cricketer, cricket, administrator, british, army, officer, david, clarkpersonal, informationfull, namedavid, graham, clarkborn, 1919, january, 1919barming, kentdied8, october. David Graham Clark 27 January 1919 8 October 2013 1 was an English cricketer cricket administrator and British Army officer David ClarkPersonal informationFull nameDavid Graham ClarkBorn 1919 01 27 27 January 1919Barming KentDied8 October 2013 2013 10 08 aged 94 BattingRight handedBowlingRight arm slowDomestic team informationYearsTeam1946 1951KentCareer statisticsCompetition First classMatches 75Runs scored 1 959Batting average 15 79100s 50s 0 10Top score 78Balls bowled 52Wickets 1Bowling average 44 005 wickets in innings 010 wickets in match 0Best bowling 1 19Catches stumpings 46 Source CricInfo 11 April 2009 Clark was born in Barming in Kent He played first class cricket for five years appearing for Kent County Cricket Club He was Kent s captain for the last three years of his career before retiring at the end of the 1951 season He was President of MCC in 1977 78 2 During World War II he served with the British Army receiving a commission as an officer in the Royal Army Service Corps RASC on 16 March 1940 3 He was then a parachute instructor at Ringway during the formation of the British Army s airborne forces and was subsequently attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment with whom he fought in North Africa Sicily and Italy During the attack on Sicily his glider landed in the sea and he swam to shore with three other survivors He was then posted to HQ 1st Airborne Division and ended up at the bridge in Arnhem during Operation Market Garden with 2 Para where he was eventually taken prisoner A modest man he never mentioned his wartime service 3 He is likely to be best remembered for chairing the committee set up by the MCC in 1965 to examine the future of county cricket in the widest possible terms and if thought fit to recommend alterations in the structure and playing conditions of the County Championship The first class counties rejected most of the recommendations made in the so called Clark Report including those for reducing the County Championship to sixteen games and introducing a new one day league also of sixteen games However before many years had passed changes not dissimilar to these would be introduced According to Mike Turner a member of the Clark committee We started the ball rolling The Clark Report was a great stimulus for fresh thinking 4 5 Clark was the tour manager of the 1970 71 English Ashes tour of Australia The England fast bowler John Snow wrote that the tour emphasised the gulf between players and administrators and I was sick of the biased attitude and incompetence which was apparent in cricket administration 6 Clark was described by the England captain Ray Illingworth as an amiable but somewhat ineffectual man 7 and there were soon divisions between him and the players John Snow had bowled over 50 eight ball overs in the First Test and was rested for the state match against Western Australia but Clark insisted that he practice in the nets with the others Snow bowled a couple of desultory overs and Clark berated him for five minutes after which Snow told him that as far as my good conduct money was concerned he could swallow it and went walkabout until the next day 8 Ray Illingworth smoothed things over but after the Second Test Clark criticized both captains for cautious play England for their short pitched bowling and indicated that he would prefer to see Australia win 3 1 than see four more draws Ray Illingworth only discovered this when he was asked for a comment by a journalist in the morning and the rest of the team when they read the newspapers at the airport 9 As a result Illingworth effectively took over the running of the tour with the support of the players and Clark s influence declined 10 Clark s only ally was the vice captain Colin Cowdrey also from Kent who became isolated as a result 11 In the final Test at Sydney Clark tried to push Illingworth back onto the field when he took the team off because of the crowd throwing beer cans after the Snow Jenner incident clarification needed A furious Illingworth said he would not return until the playing area had been cleared and the crowd had calmed down and objected to Clark constantly siding with the Australians against his own team When the team returned to England Illingworth said that all hell would break loose if anyone was denied his good conduct bonus but this did not happen However Geoffrey Boycott and John Snow had to report to Lord s for a dressing down by the MCC Secretary Billy Griffith for their behaviour 12 Notes edit CLARK DAVID GRAHAM Archived from the original on 10 June 2015 Retrieved 10 October 2013 Wisden Cricketer s Almanack 2005 edition Births and Deaths of Other Notables p 183 a b 1st British Airborne Division officer histories Unit Histories Retrieved 3 February 2022 Wisden Cricketer s Almanack 1967 edition Counties reject the Clark plan Chalke Stephen 29 June 1989 Summer s Crown The Story of Cricket s County Championship Fairfield Books pp 212 213 ISBN 9780956851154 Snow p 3 Freddi Criss 1996 The Guinness Book of Cricket Blunders Guinness Publishing p 147 Snow pp 93 94 Snow p 88 Snow pp 94 95 Snow p 110 Snow p 136 References editSnow John A 1976 Cricket Rebel An Autobiography Hamlyn ISBN 978 0 600 31932 0 External links edit1st British Airborne Division officers David Clark at ESPNcricinfo Sporting positions Preceded byBryan Valentine Kent County Cricket Club captain1949 1951 Succeeded byWilliam Murray Wood Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Clark cricketer amp oldid 1196401843, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
