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Liam Kenna Obituary
Andrew Fitzpatrick16 Mar - 16:14
Liam Kenna 1988-2025
LIAM KENNA OBITUARY by Daniel Whiting
1988-2025
The committee, players and former players of Southgate Adelaide CC were shocked, stunned and saddened as we learned this week of the passing of former player Liam Kenna. Known as ‘Ayrton’ with his surname rhyming with the former racing driver, he was a character who lit up the club during his seven seasons at The Walker Ground.
He first arrived in 2004 as a leg spinner and batsman who had played for Wales Schoolboys. A talented footballer, he was a Protech scholar at Barnet Football Club, who made him attend Southgate Technical College for a couple of days a week and was resident with club umpire stalwart, Malcolm Kiely. He also represented London Schools during his time in England.
He gave us many laughs during his time at the club, many of them unprintable. Those in the know will remember how he ruined a team photo, the Dunstable skipper’s towel or the hot key incident. Dousing Roger Arnold with a pint from the upstairs floor of the Adelaide bar whilst Roger was taking in some evening sun on the patio below was another moment that has made a few of us laugh this weekend as we have tried to remember the good times, during a desperately sad time for all those that knew him.
An arch sledger at short leg, he was involved once when a gentleman at Old Cholmeleians, upset with Ayrton appraising his technique, stuck his bat between his grill and visor of his helmet. A lot of what he said was amusing though and would often make the opposition chuckle as well. I recall playing against Southgate and their skipper Phil Dunnett was trying to work everything through the leg side. From short leg up piped the dulcet West Walian tones who advised him “that you can use the off side of the wicket, if you want, Phil?” Dunnett turned around to me at first slip laughing.
Kenna was a great fielder and was an integral part of the promotion winning side of 2005 in the Second Eleven, taking the winning catch away at Hatfield to secure promotion. He was also a key player in the First Eleven side of 2009 under Matt Fitzpatrick which gained promotion from Division Four. His double act with our South African Brad Isherwood gave us many a laugh, as we called them our two overseas players. With Australian Brian Cohen in that side, the Durban based Ishy and Liam from Burry Port in West Wales, the side was a fusion of characters from all over the world, yet we were successful on the pitch, as well as having a great time socially apres cricket.
I got to know Liam well during our time writing together at our blog, The Middle Stump. The blog went from strength to strength and we managed to secure a book deal off the back of the success of it. I will never forget Liam’s joy realising that Cricket Banter had got to number one on the cricket section of Amazon, thinking he was going to be rich. Unfortunately, it was due to a promotion by the seller at 99p, meaning that we got about 2p a copy.
Our journey continued with a book signing at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. After the event we went out in the busy St Mary Street in Cardiff and having bought two beers and handing over a tenner, a confused barman gave Liam £40 change before saying, “Let me just check that” and returned to the till. At this point Kenna took off and ran out of the pub, leaving me to deny knowing him and saying I had just come up from London. A phone call five minutes later revealed he had taken solace with his newfound earnings in a pub down the road.
In an era when characters of the game are fewer and further between, Kenna was a throwback to a bygone era. At just 36, all of us at the club are upset and can’t believe the news. His legacy will live on with his young daughter, Daisy. Those of us who came into contact with him will remember him for many reasons and he made us laugh on a regular basis. A very talented all-round sportsman, he burned brightly during his time with us. The club has received messages from all over the world from players past and present and those in the professional game who Liam came into contact with via The Middle Stump. He was taken way too soon and has left a tear in the eye for many of us in North London.
He will be remembered with great fondness by all of us in N14. May he rest in peace.
1988-2025
The committee, players and former players of Southgate Adelaide CC were shocked, stunned and saddened as we learned this week of the passing of former player Liam Kenna. Known as ‘Ayrton’ with his surname rhyming with the former racing driver, he was a character who lit up the club during his seven seasons at The Walker Ground.
He first arrived in 2004 as a leg spinner and batsman who had played for Wales Schoolboys. A talented footballer, he was a Protech scholar at Barnet Football Club, who made him attend Southgate Technical College for a couple of days a week and was resident with club umpire stalwart, Malcolm Kiely. He also represented London Schools during his time in England.
He gave us many laughs during his time at the club, many of them unprintable. Those in the know will remember how he ruined a team photo, the Dunstable skipper’s towel or the hot key incident. Dousing Roger Arnold with a pint from the upstairs floor of the Adelaide bar whilst Roger was taking in some evening sun on the patio below was another moment that has made a few of us laugh this weekend as we have tried to remember the good times, during a desperately sad time for all those that knew him.
An arch sledger at short leg, he was involved once when a gentleman at Old Cholmeleians, upset with Ayrton appraising his technique, stuck his bat between his grill and visor of his helmet. A lot of what he said was amusing though and would often make the opposition chuckle as well. I recall playing against Southgate and their skipper Phil Dunnett was trying to work everything through the leg side. From short leg up piped the dulcet West Walian tones who advised him “that you can use the off side of the wicket, if you want, Phil?” Dunnett turned around to me at first slip laughing.
Kenna was a great fielder and was an integral part of the promotion winning side of 2005 in the Second Eleven, taking the winning catch away at Hatfield to secure promotion. He was also a key player in the First Eleven side of 2009 under Matt Fitzpatrick which gained promotion from Division Four. His double act with our South African Brad Isherwood gave us many a laugh, as we called them our two overseas players. With Australian Brian Cohen in that side, the Durban based Ishy and Liam from Burry Port in West Wales, the side was a fusion of characters from all over the world, yet we were successful on the pitch, as well as having a great time socially apres cricket.
I got to know Liam well during our time writing together at our blog, The Middle Stump. The blog went from strength to strength and we managed to secure a book deal off the back of the success of it. I will never forget Liam’s joy realising that Cricket Banter had got to number one on the cricket section of Amazon, thinking he was going to be rich. Unfortunately, it was due to a promotion by the seller at 99p, meaning that we got about 2p a copy.
Our journey continued with a book signing at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. After the event we went out in the busy St Mary Street in Cardiff and having bought two beers and handing over a tenner, a confused barman gave Liam £40 change before saying, “Let me just check that” and returned to the till. At this point Kenna took off and ran out of the pub, leaving me to deny knowing him and saying I had just come up from London. A phone call five minutes later revealed he had taken solace with his newfound earnings in a pub down the road.
In an era when characters of the game are fewer and further between, Kenna was a throwback to a bygone era. At just 36, all of us at the club are upset and can’t believe the news. His legacy will live on with his young daughter, Daisy. Those of us who came into contact with him will remember him for many reasons and he made us laugh on a regular basis. A very talented all-round sportsman, he burned brightly during his time with us. The club has received messages from all over the world from players past and present and those in the professional game who Liam came into contact with via The Middle Stump. He was taken way too soon and has left a tear in the eye for many of us in North London.
He will be remembered with great fondness by all of us in N14. May he rest in peace.
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