John "Trash" Flaherty - a singular talent

It is a sunny Sunday afternoon, early 1980s, and outside my parents' house a car roars up. As the dust settles, a young man emerges. Tall, lean, tanned with every jet black hair on his head neatly in place.
He grins "Come on, we're late".
Our destination is Ashford, it’s about 1.45 and we need to be there for a 2.30 start. The car is borrowed from his sister. The journey, whilst rapid, passes uneventfully until we approach the notorious "13 Bends" not far from Ashford. This spurs John on. Faster and still faster, we swing into each corner, John explaining all the while that the car really wasn't too good at cornering.
The last bend. Sixty mph, and we're round with squeals from the tyres and his passenger.
"See, it wallows round bends - rubbish". This was so typical of John - he liked things to be done at maximum speed, but with a phlegmatic, almost epigrammic manner.
John Flaherty played the first of nearly 300 games way back in the late 70s as a very young man and by the time the second team started up in 1982, he was already a proper cricketer, possessing things that we could only dream of - such as a bat, pristine whites and ability.
Over the next few years he established himself as a very fine batter, so that when the original second team evolved into the First team in the early 90s, he was the opening batman of choice, most often accompanied by Los Green. However, I had the great pleasure of making my opening debut with him.
To watch him at close quarters was an education. He game was built around several key points. Firstly, tremendous concentration, then good technique. His running between the wickets was inimitable. Push into the midwicket gap, head down and bat swinging behind him, finally looking up and reaching forward with the bat to make his ground. Most memorably it was the straight drive that set him apart. John would wait on precisely the right delivery - straight and full. Then, BANG! And Trash would absolutely belt the ball right back where it came with murderous power.
Woe betide the poor bowler who couldn't get out the way! In one net session Matt Green got the Trash treatment and had a purple-black bruise from shoulder to elbow for a week. Quite who first commented that he "drove through the I and not the V", I don't remember, but it was so apposite.
His method suited him well. He was the first DLS player to score a century in Division One - 109 not out against Collegiate in 1991. This was just one of 3 tons he made that summer. In all he hit 5 centuries, 3 in the first team. Only James has more. John's over 6500 runs were scored at an average of over 25, his nearly 3800 runs for the Ones came at 24 an innings. In addition, there were 29 half-centuries from his bat.
Pretty bloody good. You always knew he was "in" when he called for a second pair of batting gloves.
He could bowl too. Fast, slingy break backs - in the nets at least.
Outside, maybe because he had to bowl off 22 yards (usually only off 18 in nets) and perhaps because bowling was an undignified role for an elegant chap to do, it wasn't quite so effective. His fielding position was mid-on. No closer thank you. No diving, just the occasional golf swing as the bowler walked back to his mark. And he had a habit of clicking his fingers rhythmically when bored. Trash was bored a lot when fielding.
Not so say he wasn't a top team man. Far from it, he was an excellent man to have in any team and we were saddened when he decided to stop at a relatively young age. Typically for John, once the decision was made, no amount of persuasion could entice him back apart from the very rare occasion when we were in the mire. If memory serves, his last First team innings was about 4 years ago. He made 35 I think, with all the old mannerisms intact - the glance off the legs, back foot force through cover and, of course, the lashing drive.
Oh and why Trash? Well, his Dad Pat was "Flash" and Young Flash was just too complementary, so Trash it was and Trash it stayed. It certainly wasn't true of him as a man or his talent. He was a very private man, unassuming and generous.
He was a regular sight on Saturday afternoons wherever he were playing, casually but immaculately dressed. Ready smile and cheerful humour. He readily bought a pint or so, chatted cricket and sport in general, particularly his beloved motor-racing.
This humour was to be tested most severely in the last, most difficult part of his life. He bore his illness with great courage, but sadly, this was one innings he could not play.
Our sympathies to all his family and friends.
So goodbye John, goodnight and God Bless.