Local cricket has been saddened by news of the death, in Australia, of long retired Trojans all-rounder Phil Alston, one of the founder fathers of the old Southern League back in the late Sixties. Aged 83 years, he had been seriously ill for some time.
A prominent off-spin bowler, Phil spent many of his cricketing years locally playing for Trojans at Stoneham Lane. He later went on to live in Ashmansworth, near Newbury, and play for South Oxfordshire Amateurs. He spent a short period as secretary of the old Southern League.
Phil was an RAF pilot for most of his young life before moving to civil aviation with British Airways, where flew 747 ‘Jumbo’ jets and later became a training captain amongst other things. He spent most of his later years living in Sydney, where he retired and subsequently died.
A prominent off-spin bowler, Phil spent many of his cricketing years locally playing for Trojans at Stoneham Lane. He later went on to live in Ashmansworth, near Newbury, and play for South Oxfordshire Amateurs. He spent a short period as secretary of the old Southern League.
Phil was an RAF pilot for most of his young life before moving to civil aviation with British Airways, where flew 747 ‘Jumbo’ jets and later became a training captain amongst other things. He spent most of his later years living in Sydney, where he retired and subsequently died.
