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Outside Work

Chris played club cricket in the Midlands for many years, co-founding the Leamington Lemmings complete with Latin motto - 'Volo non valeo'; a rough translation of which is, 'I am willing but unable.' He also played for AP Leamington and Flavels in the Coventry and North Warwickshire League. Batting anywhere from number 1 to number 10, he scored over a dozen fifties with a top score of 76; a feat he achieved twice. As a bowler of leg-breaks that didn't break he lacked a bit; but he did have a very good googly and once managed to inveigle a hat trick in a match of no importance for the Lemmings and even a '5 for' for the AP Leamington Sunday side; feats neither recorded nor repeated.

In 1997 he was a finalist in the Amateur Cricket Commentator competition judged by Jonathan Agnew and David Gower; commentating on a county game between Warwickshire and Nottingham at Edgbaston and then at a One Day International between England and South Africa at Old Trafford. He subsequently worked in BBC radio commentating on cricket and rugby. In 1997 he was part of the BBC Oxford team at the Varsity match at Twickenham.

Amateur Cricket Commentator Award at Old Trafford cricket Ground, Lancashire, from David Gower, The Managing Director of Wilkinson Sword and Jonathan Agnew

In 2002 Chris qualified as a full member of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers. He subsequently umpired for several seasons in the Middlesex County League, one of the ECB's Premier leagues, officiating at all levels. In 2006 he umpired the Middlesex Knock Out Cup Semi Final, as well as representative cricket involving Middlesex under 19s and a Women’s County Championship match.

Since 2005 he has been a member of the MCC umpires' panel and has stood in a number of high profile games including in 2008 at the beautiful cricket ground at Arundel in the Duke of Norfolk’s XI versus the MCC.

He has also umpired for the Cross Arrows in matches at Lord’s and Windsor Castle. In 2006 he umpired on the main ground at Lord’s in the match between the President’s XI and the Cross Arrows that marked the retirement of Roger Knight as Secretary and Chief Executive of the MCC.

Chris had the distinction of adjudging the incoming MCC secretary, Keith Bradshaw, LBW; a move he feared at the time had put paid to his potential MCC membership; a fear unfounded as he was elected to full membership of the MCC in 2009.

He joined the ECB Officials Association immediately it was set up and subsequently umpired regional finals and semi finals in the ECB's national knockout cup, the Cockspur Cup.