Player Profile: Phil Yates

Oh my goodness, where on earth do we start? "Rowdy" Yates is the archetypal village cricketing legend. Every club should have a Rowdy - Phil's been at the club for over 2 decades, and has seen and done it all. Having spent many years opening the batting in the 1st XI - notably during the 90s when he formed a productive partnership with Doc P - illness and injury in recent times have seen Phil continue his career in the 2nds. He's the butt of many jokes, but takes them brilliantly - which is a good job cos a lesser man might well have given up by now!

Rowdy is famed for a number of things, not least his infamous running between the wickets, his occasionally snail-pace batting, and "Rowdy Hill", a legendary occasion when Phil disappeared up the hill at Rochdalians to sit by the M62 motorway. He's also got the biggest heart of anyone you could meet, and rarely has a bad word about anyone, which is odd considering the amount he moans! Rowdy is also legendary for his story-telling, or rather for recounting the same stories every game, to the extent that in 2007 "Rowdy Bingo" was started, in which it was suggested that 2nd teamers were handed cards containing some of his favourite anecdotes in a race to see which ones he'd say first!

Memorable Moments

In Rowdy's words ...

Best score 1st XI 82 v Rochdalians
Hitting 4 consecutive 2's at Swinton Meths and Paul walking down the wicket at the end of the over and saying "well done but I'd have hit 16" (Yes I remember that well! I think we put on 100 that day - Doc P)
Being on the ground at Robbies when Glen had the famous entry "retired shot."
Keeping wicket to Ed Smith at Fothergills - the fastest spell of bowling for me in my 20 odd years at Totty.
Watching Nick Hudson do his impression of Mick Channon after taking a wicket at Edenfield.
The Hill incident.

We'd also like to add some others ... there was one fantastic game against High View in which the normally quiet Rowdy chose to sledge one of the View batters when he was out. Unfortunately the guy was 6 foot 4 and built like a tank. When the guy came storming round the boundary to "get" Phil, half of us were shouting at skipper Frankie Brockway to move Phil, the rest were convulsed on the ground!

Rowdy and Steve Mozzer are lifelong friends, but that doesn't stop them having a right go most of the time - many AGMs have seen the pair descend into loud slanging matches, to the amusement of all!

I'd also like to dispel the myth of Rowdy's persistent slow batting by mentioning a fab 50 he scored at Springhead, when I couldn't remotely keep up. He blitzed that bowling all over the place!