Tony Brennan

Tony Brennan 1966-2019

Tony Brennan played for Cricket World XI, Kensington CC, Lashings CC, Captain Scott’s XI, Prague CC and others worldwide.

Cricketer, Comedian, Diplomat

Tony Brennan was a Foreign office official who rose to be deputy High Commissioner in Australia. En route he founded Prague CC and revived the British Embassy XI in Paris. He came on a 1991 tour of Bavaria and Austria with Cricket World XI. An indifferent wicket keeper but very amusing man. He gave a regular night club one man show while in Prague!

David Folb founded Lashings CC and used to play for Nomads in April and May before the Lashings season started in June. David Folb managed to secure an appointment with the Foreign Office to lobby for a visa for Henry Olonga, hiding in South Africa at the time after the Black Arm Protest at the ICC World Cup. David Folb and co were ushered into a grand office and introduced to a diminutive official who listen attentively to their plea on behalf of Henry.

The foreign office official emphasized that this was really a Home Office matter and in gloomy fashion went through all the barriers for such a visa to the extent that Folb and co thought their mission was hopeless….and then the official, one Tony Brennan, suddenly looked at them in the eye with a smile. “Henry Olonga is a bloody good cricketer and also a good singer I am told, I will see what I can do”…and he did and Henry received his visa to enter, stay and work and of course play for Lashings.etc.

Subsequently David Folb thanked Brennan profusely and invited him to play a game for Lashings.

Tony Brennan duly turned up, planted his bag in the changing room and said hello to everyone. Folb then found himself surrounded by Viv, Richie, Curtly and other greats. “Hey Folbie who’s this guy in the changing room? “. “He is the gentlemen who got Henry his visa, be nice to him” and so as Tony dropped catches and struggled in his wicket keeping capacity there was endless encouragement from Viv and Richie who had probably never played for or against such an indifferent wicket keeper.

Nomads and Lashings

May 30th Bank Holiday 2004 NPL could not raise a side against us. Michael Blumberg spoke with David Folb ” We can surely raise 22 between ourselves.”” We can”, he replied and so Nomads played ‘Lashings at NPL. Both Mr and Mrs Henry Olonga played. There was much merriment at the Olonga’s expense because they were both born again Christians and did not believe in sex before marriage. So everyone wanted to know whether it was worth waiting for! Mrs Olonga was an Autralian Lady who was a decent cricketer.

During Nomads innings some white opposition Zimbabwe people arrived to talk to Henry who was in the field. so they had a long chat with the Nomads Hon Sec while they waited and after Tea spoke with Henry.

After the match the Hon Sec collected the match fees.

David Folb was astonished.” I have never seen an International cricketer asked for his match fee before”.

A few years later Nomads were to play Lashings CC at Whitgift School following the County cricket week there but the Headmaster blocked it with a demand for £10,000 upfront. with the Lion’s share of the funds to be raised on the day going to the school this seemed bizarre. The match therefore never took place.

So there you are! March 12, 2021 11:37 pm