The Gems of English Cricket

Basil wrote: courtesy of the Byzantine politics of Yorkshire cricket found himself plying his trade for a "poofy" southern county.

Of course, there was one certain batsman who was most definitely better than Close, but decided not to make himself available to play wasn't there?

'Byzantine'? Wtf??? Having read the book, 'Truemans Tales', £14.99, available from good book shops everywhere and some rubbish ones as well. I'm guessing the word 'Byzantine' means complicated? According to Dickie Bird there were 42, yes, 42!!! people involved with picking the Yorkshire team. For Byzantine read total bollocks.

As for the slur on Sir Geoffrey, I feel ones just jealous that no one of Boycs quality has ever graced your piffling county team.

[quote="Geoffrey Trueman"]

Basil wrote:
As for the slur on Sir Geoffrey, I feel ones just jealous that no one of Boycs quality has ever graced your piffling county team.

Slur implies an unjustified criticism.

Boycott made himself unavailable for selection by England from the second test against India in 1974 until the third test against Australia in 1977. FACT

If you use the same dictionary in Yorkshire as the rest of us do - Look. It. Up.

So, in summary, Boycs missed the 74-5 series v Lillee and Thomson, the 75 series, the 76 series v the ferocious Windians (plucky Chris Balderstone played in that one, I'm guessing Sir Geoffrey might have done a little better), and then came back against the toothless and divided 1977 Australians.

lardbucket wrote:So, in summary, Boycs missed the 74-5 series v Lillee and Thomson, the 75 series, the 76 series v the ferocious Windians (plucky Chris Balderstone played in that one, I'm guessing Sir Geoffrey might have done a little better), and then came back against the toothless and divided 1977 Australians.

'Lillee and Thompson', 'ferocious Windians'. You guys make it sound like he bottled it. Sir Geoffrey was the best, so was putting up with his idiosyncrasies too much to ask? What sort of wuss avoids the medium pace of Lilley and Thompson and comes back to face this...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=loYyJllsj68

The slips are incredibly close on that clip...

Boycott's well um, boycott, was nothing to do with being afraid of pace - it started during a series against India in 74 and at that time no-one in England really knew about Thomson and Holding, the Windies attack revolved more around medium fast bowlers like Vanburn Holder and the Australian attack (inc Lillee) had faced Boycs three years earlier down under and he averaged over 100 on that tour.

He played against an even more ferocious Windies team a few years later in his forties when they had Holding, Roberts, Garner & Croft all at their peak, and performed well.

Geoffrey Trueman wrote:

lardbucket wrote:So, in summary, Boycs missed the 74-5 series v Lillee and Thomson, the 75 series, the 76 series v the ferocious Windians (plucky Chris Balderstone played in that one, I'm guessing Sir Geoffrey might have done a little better), and then came back against the toothless and divided 1977 Australians.

'Lillee and Thompson', 'ferocious Windians'. You guys make it sound like he bottled it. Sir Geoffrey was the best, so was putting up with his idiosyncrasies too much to ask? What sort of wuss avoids the medium pace of Lilley and Thompson and comes back to face this...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=loYyJllsj68

Can you explain (in your own words) why Geoffrey Boycott made himself unavailable to play for England for a total of three years.

That clip must've been close to Boycs last test match?

He through a big hissy fit when he wasn't appointed captain, didn't he?

Gary 111 wrote:He through a big hissy fit when he wasn't appointed captain, didn't he?

1st test against India 1974: Boycott gets out twice in the same match for next to nothing against the left arm bowling of Eknath Solkar (think Kevin Dean on bad day and you'll get the rough idea)

He then makes himself unavailable for the next test -and this goes on for a total of three years until the third test aginst Australia in 1977.

He hinted in his autobiography that he had problems with Mike Denness both as acaptain and on a personal level - so why didn't he come back into the fold when Denness was sacked in 1975?

It might be that he had a problem with a South African being captain.

None of this was articulated at the time, so the rumour spread that he was scared of fast bowling.

Of course, you won't get this from Geoffrey Trueman - it's all a southern conspiracy of course!

Basil wrote:Of course, you won't get this from Geoffrey Trueman - it's all a southern conspiracy of course!

Are you mad? I've said nothing and the best you can come up with is...

'He hinted in his autobiography that he had problems with Mike Denness both as acaptain and on a personal level - so why didn't he come back into the fold when Denness was sacked in 1975?

Maybe, just maybe, the selectors were a bit miffed that an individual was getting ideas above his station.

'It might be that he had a problem with a South African being captain.'

And... ?

'None of this was articulated at the time, so the rumour spread that he was scared of fast bowling.'

An argument based on 'rumour', eh? Best I shut up then because the FACTS AND FIGURES prove you're right.

Gary 111 wrote:The same section shows that England appear to have the monopoly on bizarre cricketing injuries - Derek Pringle put his back out 'writing a letter' though he denies this and claims he was merely 'leaning back on a chair' - oh that's alright then! Tony Greig ricked his neck while shaving. Phil Edmonds missed a Test because he injured himself getting out of his car, but at least he didn't do a Ted Dexter and get run over - by his own car! Apparently it had broken down and he was pushing it then disaster struck.

Don't forget that Podge has just missed a game because he did his back in putting his pants on. That has to be a first.

I was going to mention that but I thought they were joking.

It's too funny to be a joke.

Geoffrey Trueman wrote: Best I shut up

Promise?

When I read the title, I thought this thread might have something to do with KFC, the Devil and David Graveney.

Disappointed.

Simon Cook managed to get run over by a roller. He felt a bit flat for a while after that but eventually made a comeback.

lardbucket wrote:So, in summary, Boycs missed the 74-5 series v Lillee and Thomson, the 75 series, the 76 series v the ferocious Windians .

But then he toured WI in 1980 at the age of 40, faced Holding, Garner, Croft and Roberts/Marshall, averaged 40 for the series and scored a century.

He had guts all right.

Rob I wrote:

lardbucket wrote:So, in summary, Boycs missed the 74-5 series v Lillee and Thomson, the 75 series, the 76 series v the ferocious Windians .

But then he toured WI in 1980 at the age of 40, faced Holding, Garner, Croft and Roberts/Marshall, averaged 40 for the series and scored a century.

He had guts all right.

And took a ton off an attack that included DKL in 1981