There was a great deal of sadness around the cricket fraternity of Pembrokeshire, and especially at Burton Cricket Club, at the news that Dennis Venables had passed away recently at the age of 87, and our thoughts go out to the club, and especially his family, at this time.
 
We at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk remember Dennis best as an excellent scorer for the club who stepped in to take on the role again after his grandson Mark had to relinquish it because of college commitments.
 
We asked other long-standing players from the club in the two Brian Griffiths to tell us a little more about Dennis and this is what they had to say, starting with W.M.B. Griffiths:
 
“I was fortunate to have known Dennis for almost 60 years, as a work colleague, a close friend and through cricket. After his farming days he was employed in the finance department at Welsh Water where he was he was highly respected by his colleagues.
 
“When the Thomarians Cricket Club folded in the early 60's it was Dennis who persuaded me to join Burton Cricket Club where he and his brother Cyril were the guiding lights. He was always passionate about his cricket and was renowned for being a steady opening batsman and a safe pair of hands behind the stumps. After his playing days he served Pembrokeshire cricket as an umpire on the league circuit for many years, and until very recently he was the club's first team scorer.
 
“Dennis was a quiet and unassuming person, a true gentleman and a close personal friend. He was hugely popular within the cricketing fraternity at Burton and beyond, and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”

 
B. E. Griffiths added:
 
“I played with Dennis at Burton from the time I was a nipper and held him in huge esteem because he was one of the club’s key people, on and off the field.
 
“He was a real stalwart and typified what Burton Cricket Club was all about, with high standards that he always passed on to younger players for all his time at a club he served so well.
 
“At his funeral the order of service described him as a gentleman and that was exactly right -and we will miss him tremendously at Oatfield Park.”
 
We could pay Dennis Venables no higher tributes and our deepest sympathies are passed on to his family and many friends at Burton Cricket Club.