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Portland Red Triangle CC

Founded 1922

John Walker John Walker
Birthplace: Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Age:
Batting Style: Right-hand bat
Bowling Style Right arm unpredictable
Fielding Position Wicketkeeper
Aliases: Doc
Height/Weight: 5' 8" / 155lbs
Favourite Food:
Favourite Tipple: Well-oaked Chardonnay, hoppy real-ales, well-made cup of tea
Stewkes' Pen Picture: Combative wicket-keeper, capable of doing a job as a batsman, but has always encouraged others to step in ahead of him. Consequently, bats either at 1 or 11, and rarely anywhere in between.
Profile: A through-and-through Yorkshireman, John nevertheless learned to play cricket in his time as a postgraduate student at University of Wales, Aberystwyth. By virtue of not having any exams at critical times, John was able to butt his way into prestigious friendly matches, and even had the pleasure of umpiring matches with an MCC XI on two occasions. He also completed one of the first ever coaching qualification courses which was offered to UWA students in 1980 by Tom Cartwright, the England test bowler, who was Glamorgan coach at the time.

After moving to Portland in the early 1980s, he acted as 2nd XI captain from 1986 to 1990, then had a successful season as 1st XI keeper in 1991. The club and he parted company in the mid-90's when he disagreed with the club's overall approach to selection and youth development.
 
Enticed back as a player from 2004 onwards, he had two deeply unpopular years as captain of the Pirates. Having failed to introduce warm-ups, he then began to win matches. This could not last, and he was kicked upstairs to the Sunday 1st XI in 2009.
John has a back condition which brought his career to an early end, but this has not prevented him from interfering with local affairs. Not content with being acting Chair of Governors at Royal Manor Arts College, John persuaded the membership of Portland Red Triangle to elect him as its chairman in 2010.
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