I like Boycott. At 68, he remains engaged by the modern game, he doesn't seem to feel the generation gap, and considers his only duty as broadcaster to be the truth as he sees it. He has an infinitely subtle understanding of batting. That his humour sometimes grates, that he can be boorish, I accept as the spikes and contradictions of an intriguing, conflicted character.
Contrast Boycott's views with those of Viv Richards, another hero, but one rooted in his era. Boycott is the man still looking forwards.
NB: At risk of dating myself, I remember having this as a kid...
Nice article.
ReplyDeleteBoycs drives me nuts at times, he can come across as too scathing but he is the most knowledgeable English commentator about the English domestic game, the international game, international players and the Association teams by such a long way it isn't funny.
He does remain thoroughly engaged and fascinated by the modern game in a way most of them don't. In other words, as a commentator he earns his money, by having knowlegeable things to say about the game and the current players, even new ones that haven't toured England before.
That's where I've been going wrong. Forget the bat, it's an axe I need...
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