The Wicked Cricket Column

Blowing in the Wind
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A week is a long time in cricket and at the mid-point of the English season this phrase bears its truth. Apart from England deservedly beating South Africa in the T20 series 2-1; the Australian cricketers pay dispute with CA rumbling on towards an inevitable shambolic conclusion; the England Women losing against India in the ICC World Cup; the pink ball being heralded under floodlights in 9 county matches where 2,984 runs were scored and 96 wickets fell on the first day; and Luke Wright scoring 118 runs off 129 balls… Surely, the biggest news of all was 77 year-old, Henry Blofeld, announcing his retirement for September after 45 years of TMS commentary.



To the outsider ‘Blowers’, a nickname first given to him by Brian Johnston, is an eccentric, endearing and jolly type full of PG Wodehouse sayings and former Etonian delights; to the insider he can be irascible, grumpy and aloof.

His critics suggest he is so out of his time where cricket commentary has dramatically changed during the last decade or so, Blowers should have retired 10 years ago. How many buses, pigeons and ‘my dear things’ can you spout without sounding a parody of yourself? As time went on Henry Calthorpe Blofeld increased his marmite ration to those listening. While his recent voice over TV adverts for products ranging from shredded wheat to Deezer sound embarrassing to others.

Even a colourful past where his father was a school friend of Ian Fleming and why the James Bond writer called his baddie in ‘Dr No’ Blofeld became rather staid. The sell by date looks positively antique and collectable. Yet, beneath this marmite exterior, he will be remembered for all the good things in cricket commentary and history will paint him as a loveable and quirky oddball. And quite rightly so.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Blofeld

An interview in the Daily Mail, published last Friday, offers a fascinating insight into how TMS commentating has changed during the last 45 years. From Blowers account, it was once manned by a group of alcoholics sloshing down Champagne and Claret before the day’s play even began.

He says, “That’s one of the big differences. In those days we’d all drink. We’d open the champagne at 12 o’clock and have a glass before lunch, then have lunch — wine, all that — then more champagne during the evening session.” Blofeld continues, “I never drank much, only two bottles a night!” Adding in comparison to the hierarchy of heavy-drinking broadcasters he was nearly teetotal.

And of course, another exceptional TMS broadcaster, John Arlott, whom history has veneered as the ultimate hero for everyone to imitate and look up to, drank two bottles of wine every lunchtime before he started commentating. As Blofeld comments, “He was always a better commentator after the wine than before.”

He remembers how Arlott once turned up in the commentary box with two briefcases, one containing six bottles of claret, the other five, then uttered the immortal line: “With good fortune, that little lot should see us through to the lunch interval.” He then says that Arlott always brought two corkscrews to every game, explaining: ‘If one of them breaks, you’re b******d’.

Blofeld points out that Brian Johnston was the one commentator who didn’t really drink: “Maybe the odd white burgundy — but Arlott always hated the fact that he couldn’t get Johnners to have a drink.”  Of course it is wrong to criticise. We live in a very different world; some may say a much more boring and politically correct world, where the drinking culture of journalism is thankfully over.

Blofeld’s heavy drinking days are behind him too but not from choice. “I’m afraid I’ve inherited my mother’s tummy, which can’t take it. Blasted thing. My liver is splendid, though. No problems there, and the doctors say 'carry on, old chap' about the wine. I do sleep better without it, though.”

However marmite, however past his sell by date, Blowers will be endearingly remembered by most cricket lovers.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4631006/Henry-Blofeld-declaring-age-77.html

     

I just find him increasingly embarrassing! But that's probably just me.

As I messaged to someone on twitter yesterday, the one major downside to floodlit cricket, which is often overlooked, is that when the ground gets wet in the evening, there simply isn't any way of the natural drying process from taking place. Even if the sun comes out at, say 7:30pm, there isn't enough warmth in it to dry the ground. So in many ways a short sharp shower in a daytime match can more easily be resolved than in early evening, where the water generally doesn't go very far, and there isn't as much warmth in the air to dry it out.

I was made aware by someone at the club that it was the young guy, I did also see him doing the pre-match videos at the day/night game which were put on to Twitter shortly after

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