Around The Boundary Feature:

 
 
If there was a special award in local cricket for loyalty to a club then a hands-on certainty would be Brian Griffiths because he has been an active member of Burton Cricket Club for 72 years and until recently was helping out the second team if ever they were short - and in one such match took an amazing boundary catch that would have been terrific it had been made by someone 50 years his junior!
 

Amazing debut with Cyril

 
Although it was all those years ago, Brian, who is known to all ‘Griff’, can still recall his debut as a nine year old where he turned up to score but when the club found itself with only ten men was told he had to play.
 
Of course he was expected to just field out and occupy last spot in the batting order if the need arose - but it did and he helped a real character in Cyril Venables achieve a one-wicket victory that could have come straight out of a ‘Boys’ Own’ comic!
 
The opposition scored 80 but after tea Burton’s reply stood at a shambolic 20 for 9 when Brian walked out to the crease and was told by Mr Venables to just try and stay there so they could at least make the score a little more respectable.
 
And stay there he did as Cyril reached an excellent 50 and Burton won the game with Griff on an outstanding 1 not out in an excellent, but at one time very unexpected, victory!



 

I can vouch for his cricketing skills

 
It is typical of the way that Brian has played his cricket in the interim period as a very good medium pace bowler and middle-order batsman, as well as a top-class fielder, as I can avow that on one occasion I saw what a good fielder he was as I was enjoying a good run as an opening bat with Pembroke and we played Burton on their small former ground, which I dubbed the ‘Postage Stamp’ and the name stuck.
 
I had started well and flicked the ball to short square leg and I thought I had another boundary but he flung out his right hand, knocked the ball up in the air, and claimed the rebound for a stunning, if unorthodox catch - and started off a really bad run for me!
 

Unique four-timer in an Alec Colley Cup tie

 
It might have not been a memorable moment for Griff but if asked I’m sure he would highlight an Aled Colley cup tie for the club’s second string against their counterparts from Lawrenny which hit the national television news and had punters asking what would have been the odds of there being three tied games in successive evenings before Lawrenny, under the captaincy of Mackie Harts eased home in their fourth meeting!
 
As well as playing a huge number of games in that time he was also an excellent coach for over 40 years, initially with Burton and later on in the Pembrokeshire County coaching set-up.
"We have had some wonderful players come through at Burton," Brian told us, "but sadly not all of them stayed, otherwise we would have been a real force to be reckoned with!"
 
In recent years, Brian has also umpired the club's second string in most matches but his major contribution has been as the groundsman at Oatfield Park, and then keeping the outfield ticking over and recently fertilised the pitch.
 

Taking on the groundsman’s role

 
"I first took an interest in looking after our second pitch, which some mischievous reporter called ‘The Postage Stamp' and it stuck, and I learned a great deal from the late Cyril Venables and then from Jim Phillips once we acquired our splendid facility at Oatfield Park, where the pitch is the envy of many teams across the county".
 
"Naturally I was busier in the summer when I went to Oatfield Park most days and before the start of every season I'd make sure I got in lots of heavy rolling before doing the pitch. Then it was full-on work on a weekly basis but I really enjoyed - and it was nice to know that I could always call on the menfolk in the Hayman and Scales families!
 
“Sadly, I am unable to help as much as I used to because of my health but I will never be anything but Burton through and through.”



 

And finally . . .

 
"Sometimes people say I've helped out a bit at Burton Cricket Club,” Brian told us, “but I can honestly say that I've got out much more than I could ever put back in - and I've played with and against some wonderful characters and made so many friends across the county!"
 
One of those characters at Burton is all-rounder Steve Jones, who in his time has rightly been regarded as one of the best players in the county, was a county regular and a Welsh Veterans’ player – and he told us,
“Brian Griffiths has always typified the very best of cricket, on and off the field. He has been an excellent player over such a long period worked tirelessly as a coach and groundsman.
 
“But above all that he really is a gentleman of sport and I’m very proud to count him as a friend.”
 
We could pay ‘Griff’ no higher tribute and long may he be at Oatfield Park when we are walking the boundary so we can enjoy our chats!