Keith Mitchell was a Newport Cricket Club legend.
When Keith was 15, he was sat on the bank at the town's Victoria Recreation Ground, ready to watch the Newport Thursday team. His schoolteacher, David Martin, rushed over to tell him they were one short. He drove him home to get his kit — and he stayed with the club for the rest of his cricket career.
He went on to score centuries galore (far too many to count) in five decades with Newport and, after laying up his willow, put numerous hours back into the game to loved, either through umpiring (he was among the island's most respected officials) or coaching the next crop of would-be young Newport cricketers.
Sadly, after a relatively short illness, he left the cricket scene a week or so ago and batting his farewell innings in front of a packed gathering at the East Cowes Crematorium, Whippingham on Friday 12 November 2021 at 11.15am and afterwards in the Fightings Cocks PH in Arreton. He celebrated his 80th birthday this summer.
Keith's sporting career wasn't confined to cricket. A livelong Spurs fan, he was a decent footballer for Barton Sports, East Cowes Vics and Parkhurst Old Boys. In his younger days with Barton Boys he played alongside pop singer Craig Douglas, who in 1959 topped the UK charts with Only Sixteen. He later became a handy golfer at Osborne.
On-going knee injuries caused Keith to hang up his football boots – but how Newport and Island cricket benefited.
Keith had just two games for Newport’s second XI and then went straight into the first team.
Newport became unbeatable and won the very first Whitbread Knock-Out Cup in 1966. They beat Ryde and he scored 107 not out. Ryde were skittled out for 99.
When Keith was still a teenager, he played for the Island against the Hampshire Club and Ground, at the County Ground, Southampton, and faced the bowling of a young Bob Cottam and his own Newport team mate, Clive Smith, who was particularly hostile, as he’d been left out of the Island team.
Keith made 70 not out and impressed Hampshire officials — so much so, he was invited back to play for their Club and Ground team, which included Cottam and Alan Castell. He batted well and kept wicket.
Won three new cricket bats
Keith said: “I never knew for many years Hampshire were keen for me to join them. David Martin kept this a secret for so long. I think it may have been because I was serving an apprenticeship at Saunders-Roe. I don’t think my dad would’ve let me go anyway.”
Instead, he plundered thousands of runs for Newport in a 40-year career, which saw him score centuries spanning five decades. In one season, he won three new cricket bats, including the special Colin Cowdrey Award.
One of his greatest personal moments, when he was the Island captain, was tossing a coin with the opposing MCC skipper — his idol, Godfrey Evans.
He also appreciated the special note he had from the legendary Island skipper, Bill Jenkins, after he was surprisingly asked to take over from him as captain. Keith hit a century in his first game in charge.
He still remembers his first game for the Island. It was against the Pakistan Eaglets, who included a very young Mushtaq Mohammad.
When the brilliant young wicketkeeper, Alan Gurney, came along to Newport, Keith was more than happy to field at cover point and he became a south coast legend fielding there.
Keith, who also enjoyed golf at Osborne, has been such a credit to the Island’s cricket scene.
He coached young Newport players and, after retiring from the game, became a highly respected umpire.
Keith is always more comfortable talking about other people more than himself.
So many of his local friends and working colleagues have enriched and influenced him during his lifetime of sport and 43 years in the aircraft industry. Keith Mitchell will be sadly missed in island sport.
When Keith was 15, he was sat on the bank at the town's Victoria Recreation Ground, ready to watch the Newport Thursday team. His schoolteacher, David Martin, rushed over to tell him they were one short. He drove him home to get his kit — and he stayed with the club for the rest of his cricket career.
He went on to score centuries galore (far too many to count) in five decades with Newport and, after laying up his willow, put numerous hours back into the game to loved, either through umpiring (he was among the island's most respected officials) or coaching the next crop of would-be young Newport cricketers.
Sadly, after a relatively short illness, he left the cricket scene a week or so ago and batting his farewell innings in front of a packed gathering at the East Cowes Crematorium, Whippingham on Friday 12 November 2021 at 11.15am and afterwards in the Fightings Cocks PH in Arreton. He celebrated his 80th birthday this summer.
Keith's sporting career wasn't confined to cricket. A livelong Spurs fan, he was a decent footballer for Barton Sports, East Cowes Vics and Parkhurst Old Boys. In his younger days with Barton Boys he played alongside pop singer Craig Douglas, who in 1959 topped the UK charts with Only Sixteen. He later became a handy golfer at Osborne.
On-going knee injuries caused Keith to hang up his football boots – but how Newport and Island cricket benefited.
Keith had just two games for Newport’s second XI and then went straight into the first team.
Newport became unbeatable and won the very first Whitbread Knock-Out Cup in 1966. They beat Ryde and he scored 107 not out. Ryde were skittled out for 99.
When Keith was still a teenager, he played for the Island against the Hampshire Club and Ground, at the County Ground, Southampton, and faced the bowling of a young Bob Cottam and his own Newport team mate, Clive Smith, who was particularly hostile, as he’d been left out of the Island team.
Keith made 70 not out and impressed Hampshire officials — so much so, he was invited back to play for their Club and Ground team, which included Cottam and Alan Castell. He batted well and kept wicket.
Won three new cricket bats
Keith said: “I never knew for many years Hampshire were keen for me to join them. David Martin kept this a secret for so long. I think it may have been because I was serving an apprenticeship at Saunders-Roe. I don’t think my dad would’ve let me go anyway.”
Instead, he plundered thousands of runs for Newport in a 40-year career, which saw him score centuries spanning five decades. In one season, he won three new cricket bats, including the special Colin Cowdrey Award.
One of his greatest personal moments, when he was the Island captain, was tossing a coin with the opposing MCC skipper — his idol, Godfrey Evans.
He also appreciated the special note he had from the legendary Island skipper, Bill Jenkins, after he was surprisingly asked to take over from him as captain. Keith hit a century in his first game in charge.
He still remembers his first game for the Island. It was against the Pakistan Eaglets, who included a very young Mushtaq Mohammad.
When the brilliant young wicketkeeper, Alan Gurney, came along to Newport, Keith was more than happy to field at cover point and he became a south coast legend fielding there.
Keith, who also enjoyed golf at Osborne, has been such a credit to the Island’s cricket scene.
He coached young Newport players and, after retiring from the game, became a highly respected umpire.
Keith is always more comfortable talking about other people more than himself.
So many of his local friends and working colleagues have enriched and influenced him during his lifetime of sport and 43 years in the aircraft industry. Keith Mitchell will be sadly missed in island sport.
Keith Mitchell (centre front) pictured in the Isle of Wight rep team of 1974 - recognise anyone ? Where was Jeff Hose, working ? Daily Echo photo vaults.
