Eastwood Cricket Club are sad to announce that one of its
former members, Dave Birks has passed away following a battle with bowel
cancer.
Dave was one of the late eighties & nineties generation
of Eastwood cricketers where he was popular Sunday captain for many seasons,
scoring 6369 runs (at least) and 7 centuries for the club.
He was one of those guys who was good at every sport he
played, cricket, tennis, football, golf, skiing, naked snooker etc.
Affectionately known as “Lobster” in his younger days due to the colour he
turned when had a long innings.
Dave had a lot of different career moves when he was younger
including learning the tools as a carpenter where he worked on building our
clubhouse. He later turned this to good use setting up a company to manufacture
rabbit hutches which took him away from cricket as he delivered all over the UK
at weekends.
He moved away to Earls Colne & seemed to have finally
found his niche in life in the last few years working as a Tennis coach,
slimming down and judging by his facebook page making many friends up there.
We last saw him at the Old Eastwoodians game in cricket week
2016 where after scratching around for a couple of overs he was soon smashing
the bowling all round the park despite not having played for a few years.
Sadly his innings has closed in his early fifties & he
leaves behind his young son Tom & I am sure all of us who played with him
send our thoughts & prayers to all his family.