Sheppard accepts Hove post

Lord David Sheppard: Hove is where the heart is

Former England captain Lord David Sheppard has become president of Sussex County Cricket Club for the 2001 season.

Lord Sheppard, who was also Bishop of Liverpool for 22 years until his retirement in 1997, played for the county throughout his cricket career.

He made his debut as an 18-year-old and went on to score 45 first-class centuries.

Lord Sheppard made 22 Test appearances between 1950 and 1963, scoring 1,172 runs at an average of 37.80, with three hundreds.

  Sheppard's Test 100s

119 v India
The Oval 1952

113 v Australia
Old Trafford 1956

113 v Australia
Melbourne 1962-63

He captained England in two Tests against Pakistan in 1954, leading them to victory by an innings and 129 runs at Trent Bridge and a draw at Old Trafford.

He toured Australia on two occasions and was one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year in 1953, two years before he was ordained into the church.

Lord Sheppard replaces the Duke of Richmond and Gordon FCA, who has been president for the past 10 years and now becomes a patron of the club.