Phil Kirkby – a Town ‘Legend’ through and through

 
Ask cricketers from the first division over the past 30 years to name a list of players for whom they have had respect and it is a far bet that one of those mentioned in terms of batting power and sportsmanship by the majority would be Phil Kirkby, who was a key all-rounder with Haverfordwest and Pembrokeshire for much of that time.
 
Known to all as ‘Kirks’, he is still heavily involved at The Racecourse as The Town’s vice chairman and is still available for the third or fourth teams if ever they are desperate for someone to help out - but says it is important that every youngster who wants to play for the club comes first so that they enjoy their involvement in local cricket, as he did for so many years.
 

Great experiences at youth level

 
Now 45, Phil began playing for The Town when he was 15 and helped them win the Ormond Youth Cup with players of the calibre of Iain Williams, James Marchant, Danny Dewstowe and Steve Williams, who was later a top player at St Ishmaels.
 
“We were coached by the likes of Danny’s dad Mickey, Ted Sexton, Graham Morris and Keith Thompson - and I also played for the county and Dyfed teams at the same time as Simon Cole, Steve Sutton and Gareth Lewis.”
 
He would say that county tours to places like Ireland were memorable - although he would admit that they didn’t always go to plan because of typical youthful exuberance.
 
“There was always a great deal of old-fashioned banter around,” Phil told us, “and one evening we discussed playing a trick on our coach by cutting his hair when he was asleep.
 
“Of course I allowed myself to be talked  into being the ‘barber’ and all went well until I touched his hair and he jumped up and pinned my arm against the wall until I dropped the scissors!
 
“Luckily he was saw the funny side of things afterwards but I had visions of being sent home in disgrace but my profound apologies luckily worked!”



 

Trophies galore – but not all remembered

 
It is typical of ‘Kirks’ that he never really places any emphasis on his own performances and prefers instead to sing the praises of others, although not always do so with precise details because he says it is a team game and that is what counts.
 
“I can remember playing in at least six Harrison-Allen Bowl Finals and we won at least half of them as we had great West Indian all-rounder Henderson Springer as a real influence in a team that also included really good players like Paul Thomas, Steve and Andrew Phillips, Colin Williams, Alan Sexton, Karl Rhead, Huw Scriven and Clive Tucker, who is the only one still involved in our first team cricket now.
 
“Henderson was also involved as we reached the final of the the Welsh Intermediate Cup, which was played at Ebbw Vale and we lost to a strong Briton Ferry Steel team - and there was also successes in the Duggie Morris Cup and plenty of league titles over the years.
 
“I did once play for the seconds in the Alec Colley Cup Final but we lost so I haven’t quite got a full collection - but it’s not bad is it?” ‘Kirks’ asks with a typical chuckle!
 
He also played on a number of occasions for the Pembroke County Cricket Club and was part of a strong team which included Ian Poole, Phil Jones, Nicky Scourfield and Andrew Phillips which he won a competition which he thinks was called the Carlsburg Cup!
 
In his time playing for The Town he scored five centuries; the first, and perhaps best, against a very strong Gowerton team in a Welsh Cup tie at The Racecourse where he finished undefeated on 132.



 

A dropped catch offended Mr Springer

 
He was also a more than useful bowler who had several five-wicket hauls but admits they petered out as he got older and lost a little pace.
 
“I also considered myself to be a good catcher but Henderson didn’t agree on one occasion in a Harrison-Allen Bowl match when he bowled and I was on the boundary as the ball lofted towards me.
 
“I would have bet on myself pouching that sort of chance but I fumbled it to the ground and could see how upset he was as Henderson glared at me - and although I apologised profusely he didn’t’ have a lot to say to me for almost two weeks, even though we won the match!”



 

Qualified coach – and involved vice-chairman

 
Outside of his large contribution to the playing side of Haverfordwest CC he is a Level Two coach and in the past has taken teams from under 11 to under 15s.
 
“It is always a pleasure to see players of the calibre of Kern Cunningham, Jack Evans, Nitin Mathias and Jack Peters coming through - and once I am less busy with work commitments I am looking forward to taking up coaching again.
 
‘Kirks’ is also vice-chairman to David Loosmore on the club’s management committee, where he also sings the praises of Stuart Williams (president) and the hard-working committee.
 
Again he is more than ready to sing their praises, rather than the hard work he has done since he took up the role, but everyone involved would nominate him as a key participant in the club’s activities.






 
It is the same across the county and also with this writer because in my decade as club secretary I found him a shining example of all that is good in Haverfordwest Cricket Club and there is nothing better on a visit to watch cricket on The Racecourse than to bump into Phil Kirkby for a chat because he sums up all that is good there in terms of cricket knowledge alongside a lovely temperament that makes him a good friend to have!