YP Letters: The legacy left by our wonderful cricket commentators

From: Edward Grainger, Nunthorpe Middlesbrough.
Alistair Cook and Henry Blofeld in the comentary box for the recent Test Match Special cricket match in Leeds.Alistair Cook and Henry Blofeld in the comentary box for the recent Test Match Special cricket match in Leeds.
Alistair Cook and Henry Blofeld in the comentary box for the recent Test Match Special cricket match in Leeds.

LIKE many test cricket followers of my generation we have grown up with ears turned to the dulcet tones of the test match commentators these last sixty years.

Chris Bond made just the right winning hit with his excellent feature on the enduring quality of BBC radio’s remarkable coverage of ball by ball action of leather on willow that began in 1957 and still goes strong today based on the legacy left by several skilful commentators; Brian Johnson, Henry Blowfeld, Jonathan Agnew and Christopher Martin-Jenkins, aided and abetted by our own Fred Truman, Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan. Others worthy of mention being Trevor Bailey, Phil Tufnell and Graeme Swann.

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However, my personal all time favourite was John Arlott with his very dry unmistakeable sense of timing clearly on evidence when he was at the microphone when the first male streaker got onto the field during one test match and was promptly arrested by an on duty police constable, who was quick to hold his helmet over the clearly visible private parts.

In his familiar West Country droll John Arlott was quick to inform the listeners that the streaker was under arrest and was being escorted from the pitch and ground.

Arlott remarked that this, “Was one member that had seen its last over of the day.” Only those of us who understood Arlott’s humour realised just what he had said. A truly wonderful sporting jewel that was just one of the hallmarks of Test Match Special.

Congratulations to everyone concerned with the programme that has given so much pleasure as it has reached the 60 not out mark, hopefully on its way to 75 not out and beyond to a century.

From: Ron Farley, Camblesforth, Selby.

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A picture (The Yorkshire Post, 28 August) shows Mo MacLeod in the Shambles in Malton riding a trishaw – a light, pedalled version of the old-fashioned rickshaw, a small two-wheeled oriental carriage drawn by one or two men.

The covered carriage seat had two shafts pointing forward and resting on the ground until the passengers sat on the seat over the two wheels.

A smaller version, if you like, of our old Hansom cab. I saw many trishaws during my tour of RAF duty in Singapore – 1960-63, but nary a rickshaw.

The name trishaw is obvious when you look at one – it is a tricycle with a passenger and a ‘rider’.

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