Peter Lunney pictured with Zimbabwe's Heath Streak in 2002

Every Club, Association or organisation is heavily dependent on its lead officers for ensuring that it is run in an efficient manner.

In NIACUS, the Chair has only two years to make his/her mark, but it is the Honorary Secretary and the Appointments' Secretary who are crucial to the smooth running of its affairs. In this respect, NIACUS has been extraordinarily blessed. As Appointments Secretary Peter served NIACUS for 17 years.

In the days before computers and web sites the umpires would receive their monthly appointments in the post, neatly written out listing matches, venues, start times and colleagues.

Peter Lunney was a cricket fanatic. In the days of the BBC's coverage of Test cricket he could often be spotted sitting in his favourite seat at Lord's - the front row of the members' enclosure beside the player's gate.

He devoted a huge amount of his time collecting autographs and it was his ambition to have the signatures of every living England test cricketer in his impressive collection of autograph books.

His club was Civil Service and following the amalgamation with NICC became its joint President. He chaired both Civil Service and NIACUS and later was elected as an Honorary Life Member of both NCU and NIACUS.

In the era of few Irish Internationals his career was limited to five appointments from 1986 to 1990.

An old school character who believed cricket was a gentleman's game played by gentlemen, Peter Lunney was indeed a very civil, civil servant.