Cricket ace Dennis gets honorary degree

Jul 10 2007 By Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

HOWZAT! Cricketing supremo Dennis Amiss has scored the academic equivalent of a Test match hundred by being awarded an honorary university degree.

Dennis, who was chief executive of Warwickshire County Cricket Club between 1994 and 2006, and is now Director of the England and Wales Cricket Board, is to receive a Doctor of University degree from the University of Birmingham.

His professional cricket career spanned more than 40 years at both domestic and international levels, opening the batting for both Warwickshire and England.

He gained a total of 51 England caps between 1966 and 1977, scoring a total of 3612 runs.

Dennis, who was awarded an MBE in 1988, will be presented with his honorary degree on July 17 during the university's annual degree ceremonies.

More than 4,500 students will graduate from the Edgbaston-based university from July 13 to 20 during a total of 16 degree ceremonies in the institution's Great Hall.

Among the other honorary degree winners are the Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby, who was appointed Bishop of Worcester in 1997 and Bishop to Prisons four years later. He becomes a Doctor of Divinity.

Also honoured is Sir Ian Byatt, chairman of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, the Rt Hon Sir Philip Otton, who retired as a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2001, His Excellency, Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso, the present High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the Court of St James, and David Nicholson, chief executive of the NHS since September 2006.