Glowing tributes for Neil Phillips

By Keith Holder

Glowing tributes have been paid to former Barbados all-rounder Neil Phillips, who died suddenly this week at the age of 66.

A strongly-built medium-pace bowler and lower-order batsman, Phillips played 15 first-class matches between 1983 and 1985. He scored 370 runs including one half-century (51) at an average of 17.61 and took 39 wickets (Ave: 29.33) with best figures of four for 35.

Phillips also turned out in eight List A (one-day) matches between 1979 and 1985.

He was a member of the champion Barbados Shell Shield team in 1984, playing in all five matches under the captaincy of Carlisle Best.

Locally, Phillips represented the Barbados Cricket League (BCL) and Maple in the BCA First division Championship (now Elite division).

One of his most memorable innings was an unbeaten 101 for Maple against champions Police at Weymouth in the 1983 Division 1 competition.

In the one-day Cup Tournament, he played in four Finals for Maple – 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1985. Maple were champions in 1977 and 1980, beating Carlton and Banks, while they lost to Spartan in both 1982 and 1985.

Phillips played professionally in England as well, and later worked on the groundstaff at the University of West Indies, Cave Hill Campus and Christ Church Foundation School (CCFS).

Also known as Neil Maynard and affectionately nicknamed “Captain Patch”, he hailed from Haynesville, St. James in the neighbourhood of Holder’s Hill, which is renowned for producing many Barbados and West Indies cricketers.

Among those paying tribute to Phillips were Carlisle Best, fellow former West Indies batsman Philo Wallace; Geoffrey Mapp, the former Police all-rounder, who was his close friend and work-mate, and Seibert Straughan, the head of Physical Education and Sports at Foundation School.

Best described Phillips as “a gentle giant”.

“My recollection of Neil brings fond memories of a man who was determined, self-confident and highly competitive. He always wanted to win and very often he knew how to win. Both at the local level playing for Maple as well as the first-class level playing for Barbados, he was a formidable competitor,” Best said.

“Although a few years older than myself he blended into my team of 1984 with consummate ease, always willing to give of his best and always willing to step up to the plate.

“I recall many occasions some players weren’t keen to go to bat, Neil would put up his hand and he would go even against the most formidable pace bowlers in the region. He had that kind of courage and commitment to his team.

“He was an important member of my 1984 Barbados team that won the regional championship, a man on whom I relied on a lot and was always willing to contribute and assist in whatever way he can. (He was) a good friend, even after our playing days. We still stayed in touch with each other. Whenever we met, we always had something to talk about. He was a man full of amusement and yet a serious man.

“Although a big guy, he was gentle in his approach and the way he dealt with others around him. Neil Phillips will always be in my heart and on my team,” Best said.

Wallace remarked: “It’s sad to learn about the passing of Neil Phillips. He was a true professional in cricket as a skilled all-rounder and then as a curator.

“We would always discuss batting and keeping the left elbow high as a right-handed batter. He always stressed the point about playing straight and he loved hitting a bowler back over his head.

“Neil would always speak about the time he spent in England playing professional cricket as well as for Maple, and Melbourne Club in the BCL competition. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

Straughan said Phillips made an impact at CCFS.

“It is with deep sadness and regret that we have learnt of the passing of my former work colleague Neil Phillips (Maynard).

“Neil started his working career at Foundation School as head groundsman in 2013 as the replacement for Ohric Smith, another outstanding groundsman. He played a very important role in the development of our playing fields, marking of the athletic track and sectors and facilities over the years. He was always looking at new ideas for the school to improve our facilities, but we were sometimes hampered by funding.

“His contributions to the school over the years were quite outstanding. He worked under the great leadership of our former Principal Robert Cumberbatch and presently David McCarthy, who played the role as the leader during our playing success.

“During the period that he was head groundsman, the school received the National Sports Council Secondary School sports award for the period 2016 to 2019 and that is what we call a beaver-trick.

“Neil was also a mentor for several of our young student-athletes over the years and several of them would have represented Barbados in several disciplines.

“There were several sporting championships as follows: Cricket – BCA Under-15, BCA Under-19, Sir Garfield Sobers Tournament, BCA Schools’ League and recently our second place in the BCA First division competition; Basketball – Ladies; Football – Ladies; Netball – Under-16 & 19; Volleyball – Under-16 & 19; Badminton; Track & Field – BSSAC Girls 2016-18, a hat-trick of titles; his role with the great success of the Joel Garner T20 Tournament.

“Neil has truly served Barbados as a cricketer and indeed the wider Caribbean with distinction over the years by developing groundsmen and building of cricket pitches.

“As an avid sports fan and an ardent promoter of the value of investment in youth, Neil has given much support over the years to the furtherance of our several sports and being one of the consultants at the recently held National Sports Council training course for groundsmen.

“He will be sorely missed by the crew of Bruce Cosens, Louis Estwick and all of his friends from underneath the trees on those cricket days eating sweet bread, nuts and sipping their favourite beverage.

“The Physical Education department appreciates the work of Neil for his outstanding contribution over the years and it is because of his commitment and dedication that the school has been so successful in various sports.

“On behalf of our chairman and Board CCFS, Principal and Staff, old scholars, parents and his several friends of the Foundation family, we wish to extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends,” Straughan said.

Mapp said: “I have known Neil Phillips or Neil Maynard for some 40 years. Our friendship came out of our love for and in pursuit of the game that has been dear to us all our lives. At the time, he represented Maple and I, Police. He was at the beginning of a professional stint, playing cricket in England, which lasted some 17 years.

“Neil was a hugely simple, friendly and soft-spoken man who made friends with the best of the best and as a person could hold his own in any discussion, especially, cricket. He had the heart of a lion and a mind of stone. He loved life, as he loved people. In fact, throughout our years of friendship I have only witnessed him being visibly angry on one occasion and that was when we worked as groundsmen at Cave Hill Campus.

“All he ever wanted to do was his job in the most professional way. He saw what we were doing as a continued contribution to the game that brought us together and showed us the world beyond the shores of Barbados.

“Neil was just more than a friend to many of us. We had become brothers and rest assured he knew that I was always there for him. He was a brilliant and articulate man who was never influenced by his long time playing in England to adopt a British accent, as a few in the past have done to let others know – I have spent a long time in England.

“Neil Phillips (Maynard), cricketer, became known popularly among us as “Captain Patch”. He was the only man at that time, who wore side-locks and wore his hair with pride. On the field, he never gave up and batted and bowled with that level of commitment sadly lacking among many of our modern players.

“As a curator, Neil was one of the few who received training under ICC specialist Andy Atkinson. Together, we forged an enduring partnership where we shared knowledge on Soil Science, the use of grass as a crop on the ‘Square’ in an effort at producing the best pitches for competitive cricket. Neil always believed that ‘there must be equal competition between batsman and bowler’. In so doing, green, hard pitches became the standard.

“A Beacon has gone out! My love and memories will live on. Neil was a standard-bearer beyond the imagination of those who never knew or sought to know him. Barbados cricket has lost a good man; a kind human being and honest to goodness person. Shalom! my friend, shalom,” Mapp commented.

Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (rebranded Elite in 2012) Championship for four decades and provides statistics and stories for the BCA website (www.barbadoscricket.org). Email: Keithfholder@gmail.com