Anyone who has spent 24 years at the heartbeat of an organisation will be hard pressed to highlight one achievement over another, and for outgoing vice-president David Crow it is no different.

A former fast bowler with enough talent to top the First XI bowling averages in 1969/70, David’s affinity with cricket and our sporting heritage have been constants since he joined the committee in 1993.

Among David’s most significant contributions are his terms as chairman of the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, an MCC creation that now lives proudly in the National Sports Museum, and his role as MCC Cricket chairman in the establishment of our inaugural MCC women’s cricket teams five years ago.

David can also point to being at the helm during one of the successful cricket seasons in MCC history. In 2012/13 we peeled off eight of the available 13 titles, including the First XI premiership, and it is an achievement of which he is most proud.

He also played a major role in the resurgence of Club XI cricket, the formation of MCC Kew Sports Club and has passionately pursued an MCC Foundation Sports Giving Program that is in its formative stages.

Apart from his cricket service, David has been a strong supporter of our heritage operations. He initiated an MCG statues program, which led to the Tattersall’s Parade of the Champions project and the more recent Australia Post Avenue of Legends series in Yarra Park.

A vice-president for the past four years, David’s tenure on the committee will end in March, leaving him with many lasting memories.

“To say it’s been an honour to serve on the committee for that length of time is an understatement,” he said. “I have gained huge satisfaction from my involvement in the operations and sports of the MCC. My wife (Sue) and I have attended many wonderful events, met a long list of interesting people and made many lifelong friends. It has been an amazing period of my life.”

When pressed, among David’s favourite MCG events list includes the 1964 grand final, the MCC’s 150th birthday celebration in 1988, Ted Whitten’s farewell lap in 1995, the first day of the 1981 Boxing Day Test, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, 2015 Cricket World Cup Final and concert performances by Michael Jackson and The Three Tenors.

David has also witnessed major changes in the professional management of the MCC and MCG, but leaves us with this message to members.

“The huge majority of our members are in effect MCG members, as they don’t participate in the many wonderful MCC functions, events and tours the club provides,” he says. “I encourage our membership to be more involved. I can assure them they will not be disappointed.”