David Kirby 1939-2021

The club is sad to announce the passing of former club captain, David Kirby on Thursday, October 7, 2021.

Though he was captain for only one season, 1962 was a pivotal year in the history of county cricket. Firstly, he was Leicestershire’s last amateur captain (the amateur/professional designation was abolished in 1963) and he was the captain in Leicestershire’s first limited overs competitive match. As a trial for the counties knockout that started in 1963, four Midland counties took part in the ‘Midland Counties Knockout Competition’. David became the first Leicestershire wicket to fall, and with Derbyshire requiring just eight runs for victory, he took the final wicket to clinch victory for the county.

David was an aggressive right-hand batsman and off-break bowler who showed great promise from an early age. He first played for his school, St Peter’s York, at the age of only 14 and spent five years in the XI. He later went onto play Junior and then Minor County cricket for Durham, and then represented schoolboy cricket at Lord’s.

After a successful season for Cambridge University in 1959, he made his debut for Leicestershire CCC against Yorkshire CCC, with his first innings having an inevitable end, being bowled by Fred Trueman. He became captain of Cambridge in his final year, his team including future England captains Tony Lewis and Mike Brearley. The highlight of this summer was probably the match at Grace Road against Yorkshire, where he hit fifty in each innings, and the victory by 149 runs.

The following season he was appointed captain of Leicestershire and also cricket secretary and assistant to Mike Turner.

Sadly, despite his best efforts, Leicestershire finished last, though he personally scored over 1,000 runs, with a career-top score of 118 against Kent. Jack van Geloven who had an outstanding season in 1962 described him as: "The best amateur captain I ever played under; he gave up far too soon."

He was reappointed captain for 1963 but decided to start a teaching career back in York, where he remained for all of his career, close on 50 years. He was a much loved and respected teacher. He guided the school’s cricket from 1969, his most famous pupil being Yorkshire and England’s Johnny Bairstow. He also taught French and German.

David played 63 First-Class matches for Leicestershire, scoring 2,234 runs with two centuries. He also took 29 wickets, with a best of 4 for 23 against Middlesex in 1961. During an injury crisis in 1964, he stepped in to help and captained the County again in a couple of games.

His time with Leicestershire gave him the opportunity to start his longest partnership; for it was whilst he was with the county that he met a girl from Croft, and in August 1963 David and Anna were married at the church in that village.