The community is in mourning after the sudden death of Rickmansworth resident Simon Prodger.
Simon, 63, who had been chairman of Watford Town Cricket Club (WTCC) since 2006, was described by the club as “marvellous”. Cricket was Simon’s passion, and his expert guidance was said to have overseen the resurgence of the club out of a turbulent beginning to the century.
Richard Bayliss, vice-chairman at WTCC, said: “Simon ‘Prodge’ Prodger believed, passionately, that cricket should be a force for good and he sought to make cricket a game for everyone, regardless of their background.”
Simon played an important part in establishing the South Asian Cricket Association and African Caribbean Cricket Association, helping to integrate them into cricket’s mainstream.
In addition, he was a driving force behind the East Africa Character Development Trust, a charity delivering cricket opportunities to thousands of young disadvantaged Kenyans from slum communities in Nairobi, where Simon was born.
Richard added: “As a trustee of the Club Cricket Charity, he was instrumental in securing funding from the England and Wales Cricket Board to distribute defibrillators to clubs. We have one of those defibrillators in the pavilion at Woodside.
“Prodge always wanted the best for the club and has been at the forefront of our discussions with Watford Borough Council over the development of the sports facilities at Woodside. We will benefit from a new pavilion under the plans, and it’s so sad that he won’t see the outcome of his hard work.
“We have all lost a loyal friend and supporter and the game of cricket has lost a very special person. We send our heartfelt sympathies to his wife Lyn and his family.”
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