Steven Kirby

Steven Paul Kirby (born 4 October 1977, Bury, Greater Manchester, England) is an English first-class cricketer who plays for Somerset and England A.

Having previusly played for both Yorkshire and Gloucestershire, up to the end of the 2006 season he had taken 278 first class wickets in 76 matches at 30.01 and another 31 wickets in 37 one day games. Kirby has also played for the MCC against 2007 county champions Sussex, taking 4-39.

Career

Yorkshire

He was a vital part of Yorkshire's County Championship winning side in 2001 in his first season in the first class game and had a fairy tale start to his career. Called up after the match had started to replace a test bound Matthew Hoggard, Kirby skittled Kent to claim 7 for 50. His third game for Yorkshire thrust him into the fray against Leicestershire, his former employers who had sacked him without a first-class appearance. Kirby won the match for Yorkshire with match figures of 12 for 72. He went on to take 47 championships wickets at 20.85.

His belligerent personality has seen him in regular confrontations with opposing batsmen, and occasionally umpires. He is renowned as one of the best, if most obscure, 'sledgers' in the game. In dismissing Mike Atherton twice, in Atherton's last County Championship game, Kirby remarked that he had 'seen better batters in my fridge'.

Kirby struggled to repeat his success in his second season, claiming 37 wickets at 34.00, and 2004 brought...
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