Steve Kirby was a flame-haired fast bowler, with a fiery temperament to match, when I first encountered him at the 2001 Bath Cricket Festival.
It was only his second first class appearance for Yorkshire. Yet this then 23-year-old upstart grabbed everyone’s attention by following through after most deliveries to eyeball experienced Somerset batsmen like Jamie Cox and Mike Burns.
Not content with that, Kirby wasn’t averse to sledging his opponents from point blank range, particularly when they played and missed without getting an edge.
