Obituary: Gordon Cooper, cricket official

Gordon Cooper, who has died at 83, had a lifetime of devotion to playing, organising and coaching cricket in Yorkshire, especially among the game’s younger practitioners.

A significant number of those he encouraged went on to play at county and sometimes national level, and in June 2014 he was awarded a British Empire Medal for voluntary service to youth cricket in West Yorkshire.

He was appointed head coach for the Heavy Woollen District Junior Cricket League at a time when it ran only one under-18 league, but under his direction more were established and in 2003 leagues were introduced for girls, too. He was also the organisation’s honorary public relations officer, fixture secretary, president and life vice-president, and under his stewardship it became one of the most successful junior leagues in the county.

A successful businessman off the cricket field he is survived by his wife, Anne, sons Robert and Richard and grandchildren Grace and Zachary.