An Essex and England cricketer who went on to become an extremely influential yet controversial selector and administrator, has died at the age of 91.

The news of Doug Insole's death on Saturday was announced by Essex County Cricket Club, where he served on and off the field as captain, chairman and president.

A short statement read: "It is with deep regret that Essex County Cricket Club announces the passing of former player, captain, chairman and president, Doug Insole who passed away peacefully at home last night, at the age of 91 years old.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Doug Insole (second right) at Essex County Cricket Club 

"Doug was one of the most outstanding players and administrators in cricket and affectionately known by everyone at the Club as 'Mr Essex'.

"A further statement will be released in due course and the club wish to send condolences to Norma and Doug's family and friends at this time."

Born to parents John and Margaret in Clapton, he grew up in nearby Highams Park when it was semi-rural Essex.

Insole would go on to spend much of his retirement living at home in Chingford.

He served in the army for two years from 1944 before studying history at Cambridge.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Doug Insole (centre) was an unorthodox and forceful middle-order batsman

From there, he played first-class cricket, batting in the middle order for both the university and, once his studies finished, for Essex.

In his playing days Insole appeared in nine Tests between 1950 and 1957, making a century against South Africa and retiring with more than 25,000 first-class runs to his name.

Among his controversial decisions during his long career as an administrator, was dropping Geoffrey Boycott from the England side immediately after he scored 246 in a Test match against India in 1967.

He justified his decision by saying Boycott had batted in a “selfish” manner.

But it was decision to leave the mixed race all-rounder Basil D’Oliveira out of England's tour of apartheid South Africa in 1968-69, that became his most contentious.

D’Oliveira had just scored 158 in England's final Test against Australia and there was suspicion that he was left out to appease the South African government.

At the time, Insole said D’Oliveira was left out because they had "got rather better than him in the side”.

Insole's decision was not his alone, four other selectors and five senior MCC advisers were involved, but most of the backlash fell upon his shoulders.

In the following strong negative reaction, D’Oliveira was brought back into the side, leading South Africa to call off the series, leaving them in cricketing isolation until the end of apartheid in 1994.

As well as a close association with Essex, he spent almost two decades as an international selector and chaired the Test and County Cricket Board, forerunner to the England and Wales Cricket Board.

He held this position during the trying times of the Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket revolution and, after 20 years on the MCC board was invited to serve as president in 2007.

If you would like to pay tribute to Doug Insole, please contact reporter Joe Roberts on 07824 530127 and joe.roberts@london.newsquest.co.uk