15 Facts About Ronnie Burnet

John Ronald Burnet OBE was an English first-class cricketer and the last amateur captain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Ronnie Burnet was a 39-year-old Bradford Cricket League batsman who would never have made the first team on playing ability, yet his strong personality was the element needed to turn Yorkshire from strife-ridden rans to a formidable outfit.

Ronnie Burnet was brought in to unite a faction-ridden dressing room after Billy Sutcliffe's ineffectual reign.

Ronnie Burnet had led Baildon to success in the Bradford League in the early 1950s, and proved himself an effective leader of Yorkshire's Second XI since 1953, the team winning the Minor Counties Championship under his command in 1957.

Ronnie Burnet was a limited batsman in first-class terms, but his influence cannot be measured by his individual figures, rather by the effect his leadership had on the field.

Ronnie Burnet served on the Yorkshire Cricket Committee as a Bradford representative from 1960 to 1969 and then for Harrogate district from 1978 until 1983 when another bout of civil war threatened to tear the club in two.

Once again some senior members in the club felt that only by the sacrifice of a great player could harmony and success be restored to the team, but this time the members revolted, Boycott's supporters swept the committee and Ronnie Burnet was voted out of power.

Ronnie Burnet had put his leadership skills to good use in the meantime and was the chairman of a chemical company for 23 years.

Ronnie Burnet served as president of the Bradford League from 1959 to 1969 and was awarded the OBE for his services to the Sport in Yorkshire and Humberside.

Ronnie Burnet did an excellent job and was always a great encouragement to the younger lads who played under his captaincy.

Ronnie Burnet was always great company to be in and I always enjoyed meeting up with him.

Ronnie Burnet took over in troubled times but he stood no nonsense and he sorted things out.

Ronnie Burnet did not pretend to being a first-class player himself but he turned us into a side which won seven championships and two Gillette Cup finals over a ten-year period.

Ronnie Burnet was an outstanding man for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and he was always ready to give advice right up to the end.

Ronnie Burnet was a strong leader and the man responsible for moulding most of the players who went on to win the championship so often.