LORD Mervyn King says being elected as the new president of Worcestershire CCC is “one of the proudest moments” of his life.

The former governor of the Bank of England has been a Worcestershire supporter for more than half-a-century.

He replaces John Elliott, who has stood down from the club president’s role, and remembers Worcestershire’s County Championship triumphs of 1964 and 1965.

He also paid a tribute to skipper Daryl Mitchell in reminding him of similarities to Don Kenyon who skippered the side to that double triumph five decades ago.

Lord King said: “It’s a very great honour, particularly in the 150th anniversary year.

“As a small boy I spent all my summers sitting at New Road, always on the first row “The reason for that was because on the odd occasion the ball went through the Worcestershire slip cordon, the ball would hit the railings and I would lean over and pick it up and throw it back to either Jack Flavell or Len Coldwell and go home with a warm glow.

“That little boy never dreamt that one day he would stand in front of you as president of this club. This is one of the proudest moments of my life.”

Lord King added: “I’m old enough to remember the 100th anniversary, the great Centenary in 1965 when not only did we win the Championship in 1964 but we retained it with players like Tom Graveney and Basil D’Oliveira to the fore.”

“But the big lesson of that experience is that team was not put together quickly. It was put together over at least 10 years and each year one or two new players would come along. Eventually when Graveney and D’Oliveira came along, the side on the batting and bowling front was good enough to win the Championship two years running.

“It showed the importance of continuity and creating and building a team.”

Meanwhile, the club is “in a great positive position to go forward in the future”, according to new chairman Stephen Taylor.

Taylor paid tribute to Martyn ‘Percy’ Price, whose eight-year stint at the helm has come to an end, for the healthy state of the County.

“This is a very well run professional county cricket club and I’m pleased I’m able to take on a club that is run that way,” said Taylor.

“It is a very positive time for the club, it is in a great positive position to go forward in the future.”

Taylor says, in his new role, he will have a working relationship with the England and Wales Cricket Board.

“There is a lot happening at the ECB, we are seeing a lot of change with the likes of the new chairman and the new structures that are taking place,” he said.