ONE of the area’s longest-serving cricket administrators has called time after 65 years.

Keith Moss has stepped down as chairman of the JCT600 Bradford League following recent ill health. He has held the position for three years.

He will continue as the league’s president in an ambassadorial capacity but will no longer be involved in the day-to-day running of the competition. He has been the league’s figurehead for 11 years.

Moss, who has served at club, league and county level, was awarded the MBE for his service to cricket in 2010. He won the coveted Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy in 1999 for his outstanding service to the Bradford League and took the Stuart Hodgson Award for services to boards and leagues in last year’s Yorkshire Cricket Board OSCAS.

He first became a cricket administrator in 1950 when, as a 15-year-old pupil at Pudsey Grammar School, he was appointed as secretary of Fulneck, who played in the Pudsey & District League.

For more than 40 years he has been a prominent figure at Pudsey St Lawrence, serving as cricket chairman, chairman and president. He was also on the Yorkshire County Cricket Club committee for 12 years from 1991, serving as finance chairman and club chairman.

Moss, 80, has derived great pleasure from signing a number of overseas players for Pudsey St Lawrence who went on to become Test stars.

They included the New Zealand trio of Martin Crowe, Mark Greatbatch and Simon Doull. But one of his greatest coups was to sign the Sussex and England fast bowler John Snow in 1978.

“I went to our selection meeting one Monday evening and our captain Rodney Cass, who played for Worcester, asked me if I fancied signing John Snow.

“I contacted our treasurer Laurie Tempest and he said go for him if you want him, so I did,” recalls Moss.

The signing attracted great media attention, with reporters and TV crews descending on Tofts Road. It also led to great scrutiny from the Bradford League management committee.

“They met on the Thursday evening and I was on the phone to them until 1am before they agreed to let him play. They were concerned because he had played for Kerry Packer in the first World Series event.

“Thankfully, I finally managed to persuade them there was nothing to stop him. He came and played for us and drew in the crowds and he only cost us £75.”

David Young, who has been the Bradford League chief executive for the past three years, has taken on the role of chairman.

He said: “It is a hard act to follow because Keith has done such a lot. He will continue to attend our cup finals and visit clubs when he can, and no doubt we will call on his advice from time to time.

“To have served as an active administrator for 65 years is a wonderful achievement and the Bradford League has been fortunate to have the benefit of his knowledge and good sense.”