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Saturday, August 27, 2016
Geoffrey Boycott: Demon bowler
Here is Sir Geoffrey, bowling in his cap, taking two Australian wickets in a 1979 World Cup group game.
Ian Botham does rather release the pressure at the other end, but look out for a characteristically brilliant piece of fielding by Derek Randall.
I recall that Boycott, when the pressure was off, would impersonate other bowlers' actions.
Lovely to see Randall in deadly action.
Remarkable, too, to see a World Cup game where the crowd are separated from the field by only a low boundary- board. Sad that now fencing and security staff are needed. When did 'we' become so badly behaved?
As I recall it was Graham Gooch who did the bowling impersonations. His Chris Old would pull up with an injury just before he reached the bowling crease.
I don't think we are worse behaved today - there were plenty of pitch invasions in the 1970s. It is more that, for better or worse, we are less tolerant of that sort of thing today.
4 comments:
Sir Geoffrey was used as first change in South Africa in 1964-5, and took 3-47 in one innings. So, almost an all-rounder...
It was Mike Brearley who got him bowling again in tests in the 1970s.
His theory was that batsmen hated the idea of getting out to Boycott so much that it made them cautious and slowed the scoring rate.
I recall that Boycott, when the pressure was off, would impersonate other bowlers' actions.
Lovely to see Randall in deadly action.
Remarkable, too, to see a World Cup game where the crowd are separated from the field by only a low boundary- board. Sad that now fencing and security staff are needed. When did 'we' become so badly behaved?
As I recall it was Graham Gooch who did the bowling impersonations. His Chris Old would pull up with an injury just before he reached the bowling crease.
I don't think we are worse behaved today - there were plenty of pitch invasions in the 1970s. It is more that, for better or worse, we are less tolerant of that sort of thing today.
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