Legendary cricket commentator pulls up stumps

Cricket in Australia just won’t feel the same next summer, and it is not just because it will be broadcast on another network.

Legendary cricket commentator Bill Lawry has reportedly announced his retirement from the commentary box after more than 40 years in the job with Channel Nine.

With the cricket moving to Channel Seven and Foxtel next summer, Lawry has refused offers from both new broadcasters to join their commentary teams.

Lawry had scaled back his commitments to the Sydney and Melbourne Tests in recent years for personal reasons.

Lawry was presented with a car by Channel Nine last year to celebrate his 80th birthday and spoke about how much he had enjoyed his time in the commentary box.

“I've been lucky enough for the last 40 years to see the best cricketers in the world from one of the best seats in the house but also to work with some of the guys in the commentary team,” Lawry said.

Will you miss Bill Lawry’s commentary next summer?

7 comments

I did not mind him as he was a gentleman.

Get rid of the pair of smart arses Chapple and Warne.

I quite like Ian Chappell, but Shane Warne has nothing to say that I wish to listen to. When he comes on, I change the channel in protest.

Bill Lawry is a bit of a fuddy-duddy, but as you "say", an honest man and a gentleman, and he always tries to be polite.

Bill was and is a humble man. He identifies with his training as a plumber therby showing that he has never forgotten where he started. He brought passion to the commentary and even if not a lot was happening he always made it sound like one had to keep watching. One of our great cricketers who always put cricket first and personalities second. He will be sorely missed.

Further to the comments above, I would say that Shane Warne was a World class bowler, but we do not need to have to put up with his most pompous attitude when he comments on present-day bowlers.        

Bill Lawry, however, is NOT a fuddy-duddy but 'a breath of fresh air', as far as I'm concerned!  I wish him a long and happy retirement with good health.

 

I liked Bill Lawry as a cricketer, he was very hard to get out and he often "stonewalled " for hours . I actually watched him play an innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground way back in the fifties and on that occasion he bored everyone to death by scoring only a handful of runs in a few hours of play!! He collected a few boos that day and that style today would not go down well at all. He defended his wicket as though his life depended on it and strangely enough people liked him for it. Perhaps because he frustrated all his opponents until they gave up!!

His commentary was similar but I do miss his exchanges with Tony Greig. They went together like a key in a crack with the kind of dry humour we need in cricket. 

Nice easy going commentary, got to admit though a bit on the boring side.

On reading the 4 replies above, Sageman, I was particularly interested to read your commentsand then reminisce, as I do every Aussie cricket test season.      I can still 'see' my elderly grandfather, who lived until he was in his 95th year, sitting 'glued' to the big bakelite 'wireless'- because he was getting quite deaf - saying from time to time "Why doesn't he hit the ball ??"  Dare I say this was when Don Bradman was at the peak of his career!    You see Grandpa, when a young man in the late 19th century, was one of 7 brothers and 3-4 cousins who played in the one team and apparently, in their time, had a reputation for being 'the team to beat'.   

So, now we are into the 21st century when everything, including life and cricket, has become much faster than in Grandpa's time.     If he were to come back now he would be amazed to watch a Test on TV and to hear the commentary!     We are all really spoilt for choice in this day and age, but at least we have choices and can switch off or 'mute' the commercial commentary and listen to it on the National Broadcaster!  

7 comments



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