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Bob Willis, A Cricketer and a Gentleman credited to Bob Willis & Mike Dickson, edited by David Willis.
Bob Willis (1949-2019) was the second England fast bowler to take 300 Test wickets and also captained England, which is rare for a bowler. He is a cricketing legend due to his heroics at Headingley in 1981 when, playing Australia, he took eight wickets for forty-three and won the game for England. His fellow players talked of ‘a red mist’ or ‘a trance’ coming over him. Richie Benaud, commentating, said it was ‘one of the most fantastic wins in Test Cricket’ and that Willis seemed ‘almost as if he was in another world’.
Bob Willis, A Cricketer and a Gentleman is rather a hotchpotch of a book but still very interesting. The introduction is by his long-term friend, Ian Botham. There’s a biographical section written by Mike Dickson, anecdotes from friends and colleagues plus extracts from his own writing, all edited by his brother, David. Bob Willis didn’t look like an athlete. At 6’6", his long run and the thump of his foot on the ground as he bowled put a terrible strain on his knees and he was often unable to play due to knee injury, operations and other illnesses. Add to that depression, anxiety and insomnia and it’s a wonder he could play at all, let alone be remembered by all his friends as ‘great company’ and ‘very funny’. In those days there wasn’t the support for top players that there is now; they travelled with about three aides, in contrast to the army of coaches, physios and a doctor which travels with today’s England team. It was up to the individual to keep himself fit, which he worked hard at, always believing that running was more useful to a bowler than time in the gym. He found hypnosis helpful and, at the peak of his career, was lucky to have Mike Brearley, the supreme man-manager, as his captain. After retirement he eventually found his métier broadcasting for Sky, where he was famous for his acerbic comments and telling it how it was. He was so passionate about England cricket that he couldn’t bear to watch his team play badly. As I don’t have Sky, I missed all that.
( Dylan & more )
Bob Willis (1949-2019) was the second England fast bowler to take 300 Test wickets and also captained England, which is rare for a bowler. He is a cricketing legend due to his heroics at Headingley in 1981 when, playing Australia, he took eight wickets for forty-three and won the game for England. His fellow players talked of ‘a red mist’ or ‘a trance’ coming over him. Richie Benaud, commentating, said it was ‘one of the most fantastic wins in Test Cricket’ and that Willis seemed ‘almost as if he was in another world’.
Bob Willis, A Cricketer and a Gentleman is rather a hotchpotch of a book but still very interesting. The introduction is by his long-term friend, Ian Botham. There’s a biographical section written by Mike Dickson, anecdotes from friends and colleagues plus extracts from his own writing, all edited by his brother, David. Bob Willis didn’t look like an athlete. At 6’6", his long run and the thump of his foot on the ground as he bowled put a terrible strain on his knees and he was often unable to play due to knee injury, operations and other illnesses. Add to that depression, anxiety and insomnia and it’s a wonder he could play at all, let alone be remembered by all his friends as ‘great company’ and ‘very funny’. In those days there wasn’t the support for top players that there is now; they travelled with about three aides, in contrast to the army of coaches, physios and a doctor which travels with today’s England team. It was up to the individual to keep himself fit, which he worked hard at, always believing that running was more useful to a bowler than time in the gym. He found hypnosis helpful and, at the peak of his career, was lucky to have Mike Brearley, the supreme man-manager, as his captain. After retirement he eventually found his métier broadcasting for Sky, where he was famous for his acerbic comments and telling it how it was. He was so passionate about England cricket that he couldn’t bear to watch his team play badly. As I don’t have Sky, I missed all that.
( Dylan & more )
