TOM Priestley, who helped to start thousands upon thousands of cricketing lives, has died aged 94.

This was via his 'baby’ of the Gordon Bowers Competition, which began as an Under-12 event but latterly reverted to the U9s age group.

Tom was also the oldest recipient of the Bradford Premier League's top accolade - the Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy – which he picked up in 2018, and he umpired over 1,000 senior games in various leagues.

Although he wasn't able to attend the league dinner that year to receive the award, it was a very proud moment for a man who devoted his life to cricket.

After league chairman David Young presented him with the trophy at his home in Birkenshaw, Tom said: “I am chuffed at getting this award. It is a lovely surprise and one I never expected.

“In my eyes, the Bradford League is the best league and I have enjoyed the comradeship and friendship of so many people through the years.”

League president Keith Moss was one of the first to pay tribute to a man who gave so much to the game.

He said: “This is such sad news. Tom gave years of devoted service to umpiring and junior cricket, as well as the Bradford League.

“He was somebody who was never afraid to speak out if he felt something was wrong. Tom deserves the very highest respect for the work he has done for cricket.”

Tom made a marked impact on the careers of not only aspiring young cricketers, but also umpires and scorers in the Bradford League.

There is a hardly a young cricketer who hasn’t taken their first cricket steps in the Gordon Bowers Competition, which he helped to found in 1983.

Along with Donald Worsnop and Joan Peel - the 2010 winner of the Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy who sadly passed away last year - Tom saw the potential of the pairs format to encourage youngsters to play.

The trio used some of the trust funds left by former Bradford League president Gordon Bowers to launch a competition which was eventually integrated into the Bradford Junior League.

Junior cricket was a passion for Tom, which is reflected by the fact that he served on the Bradford Junior League’s executive committee from 1981 to 2002.

Among the posts he held were chairman and fixture secretary, before he became president from 2002-2014.

His other love was umpiring, which he took up after a 25-year playing career in the Bradford Central League and Bradford Mutual Sunday School League with Wibsey Congs, Park Chapel and Great Horton Meths.

He started umpiring in the Bradford Mutual Sunday School League, before being persuaded by former Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy winner Derek Shuttleworth to join the Bradford League in 1982.

It was the start of an association which was to see him take charge of over 1,000 matches, and he umpired the Priestley Shield finals of 1986 and 2008 and the Priestley Cup finals of 1988 and 2002

Tom also served as treasurer and chairman of the Bradford League Umpires’ Association, and his outstanding contribution led to him being made a life vice-president.

He also helped many new umpires as an examiner for the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers.

A straight-talking individual who was never afraid to stand up for what he felt was right, it is fair to say that he ruffled a few feathers, but he only wanted what he felt needed to be done.

Tom served on the old Bradford League management committee and its successor, the management board, for a total of 15 years. His contribution led to him being made a life member of the league.

The saying that when you want somebody to do a job, you ask a busy man, certainly applied to Tom.

On top of his considerable achievements for the Bradford League, he was also secretary of the Bradford Area Council for 30 years and had a long association with the Bradford & District Evening League, holding a number of key posts, including chairman, a position he was in for 34 years before stepping down in 2016.

As if that wasn't enough, Tom served on the Yorkshire Cricket Association’s committee and was vice-chairman from 1991-1995 and also organised the old Robert Bland Indoor Six-A-Side Competition.

Tom's death adds to a list of great cricketing servants who have passed away in the last two months, which includes Raymond Illingworth, John White, Lesley Robinson, Derek Johnson, David Ratcliffe, Phil Godfrey and Malcolm Allitt.

Between them they clocked up more than 400 years’ service.

The Bradford League, other leagues and cricket in general, owes a great debt of gratitude to each and every one of them.

Condolences go out to Tom's wife Margaret at this sad time.