Hambledon, Chichester Priory Park and Sussex cricket has been devastated by the sudden death highly respected administrator and former player Daniel Oliver, who collapsed whilst showering at his mother's home in Weybridge, Surrey last weekend.
Aged 50, Daniel, left, had been vice-chairman of the Sussex League for the past five years, prior to which he was a prominent player and captain of Chichester Priory Park and Stirlands. He was selected for several prestigious Club Cricket Conference tours to Australia.
Daniel died from a blood clot to his brain but also undiagnosed leukaemia. His family were with him when he died.
Priory Park's Mark Bamforth said: "As a club we have been left devastated by Dan's sudden passing. A fine player, teammate and friend of so many both at our club and across Sussex. Our love and thoughts go to his family and loved ones at this deeply sad time.
"Daniel Oliver opened the batting as vice captain in the undefeated team that won the Sussex Premier League in 2005, having already played in the golden nineties when Chichester took three league titles. Daniel led the team through a period of transition after 2005, taking us to the Division 1 title in 2007, ensuring our return to the top flight of Sussex cricket.
"We recall Daniel fondly as a cricketer, as an enthusiast for the game, but most of all he will be remembered at Chichester as a respected club captain, a valued team mate and as a thoroughly decent man. His loss will be felt more widely across Sussex as Daniel after 2007, when he left Chichester, became closely involved in the running of the Sussex League. But it is at Chichester PPCC that his loss will be felt most acutely.
In recent seasons, Dan became involved with Hambledon, where his son Jonty played as a spin all-rounder in the club's 2022 Premier Division 3 title winning side and again in 2023, before playing for Shepshed Charterhouse (near his studies at Loughborough University) this past summer.
He was a skilled hockey player too, playing for Havant in the National League but it was as an outstanding administrator that Daniel made his most important contributions to Sussex cricket in the county.
Aged 50, Daniel, left, had been vice-chairman of the Sussex League for the past five years, prior to which he was a prominent player and captain of Chichester Priory Park and Stirlands. He was selected for several prestigious Club Cricket Conference tours to Australia.
Daniel died from a blood clot to his brain but also undiagnosed leukaemia. His family were with him when he died.
Priory Park's Mark Bamforth said: "As a club we have been left devastated by Dan's sudden passing. A fine player, teammate and friend of so many both at our club and across Sussex. Our love and thoughts go to his family and loved ones at this deeply sad time.
"Daniel Oliver opened the batting as vice captain in the undefeated team that won the Sussex Premier League in 2005, having already played in the golden nineties when Chichester took three league titles. Daniel led the team through a period of transition after 2005, taking us to the Division 1 title in 2007, ensuring our return to the top flight of Sussex cricket.
"We recall Daniel fondly as a cricketer, as an enthusiast for the game, but most of all he will be remembered at Chichester as a respected club captain, a valued team mate and as a thoroughly decent man. His loss will be felt more widely across Sussex as Daniel after 2007, when he left Chichester, became closely involved in the running of the Sussex League. But it is at Chichester PPCC that his loss will be felt most acutely.
In recent seasons, Dan became involved with Hambledon, where his son Jonty played as a spin all-rounder in the club's 2022 Premier Division 3 title winning side and again in 2023, before playing for Shepshed Charterhouse (near his studies at Loughborough University) this past summer.
He was a skilled hockey player too, playing for Havant in the National League but it was as an outstanding administrator that Daniel made his most important contributions to Sussex cricket in the county.
