In 2015 Keith Dennis was awarded a posthumous Lifetime Service Award by ICC Europe.

 

Local cricket legend Keith Dennis, died suddenly in March 2014 whilst traveling with the national side who were competing at World Cricket League Division 5 in Malaysia. KD was honoured in 2015 with what the ICC describe as, 'An achievement dedicated to the life's work of an outstanding individual'.

 

Former Jersey Cricket Board chief executive officer Chris Minty said: ''It's a great honour for KD – and thoroughly deserved.

'The amount he did to help Channel Islands cricket was phenomenal. He guided Jersey through being accepted by the ECB, right through to the Island being recognised as a nation by the ICC.''

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THE EARLY YEARS... 

KD was born in London in 1943, during those early years he attended Highgate School in London where he grew up with a passion for playing various sports such as football and cricket. At the age of fourteen his talent for playing football was spotted by Tottenham Hotspurs scouts and he was offered an apprenticeship, however, it wasn't long before his love for the game of cricket took precedence over football.

After leaving Highgate School, KD went onto work at his fathers business from where he continued to pursue his cricket career.

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List of county cricket clubs KD played for...

Middlesex Young Amateurs (1961)

Middlesex Second XI (1962-1964)

Club Cricket Conference Under-24s (1964)

Highgate Cricket Club (1965)

Finchley Cricket Club (1962-1967)

Cricketer Cup Old Cholmeleians (1969-1988)

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) (1964-2000)

 

KD spent many years touring Jersey with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and, as a consequence, had a really good grasp of Island cricket.' Having visited the Channel Islands on so many occasions he decided to move to Jersey in 1996 where he joined the Channel Island Over-50s cricket team, becoming their captain shortly afterwards. He was their main run scorer and completed many match-winning innings for a decade. Under his guardianship, the side made many advances from the group stages of the England and Wales Championship, reaching the quarter-final stages. He also played a major role in the formation of the Channel Island Cricket Board and was chairman until it disbanded, during this time he took Jersey and Guernsey into the ECB 38s Competition, breaking new ground with Jersey and Guernsey playing together.

 

KD then became a leader in the formation of the Jersey Cricket Board (JCB) of which he was chairman from 2005 to 2012.

He guided Jersey through to being accepted by the 'England Cricket Board' (ECB) and was also the driving force behind the island playing as a nation and achieving Associate status within the 'International Cricket Council' (ICC).  As chairman of the JCB, he saw Jersey play in European and global cricket tournaments in countries such as Tanzania, Nepal and Malaysia and he'd also witnessed the Island becoming recognised as an outstanding venue for hosting tournaments.

KD led the team in the years when the side played their three or four matches away, and at one stage the side was undefeated on UK soil for three years.

 

KD was an inspirational figure who had a keen sense of humour and always had time for everyone.