Geoff Boycott - a fighter to the core
By A. C. De Silva
THE CLIMB OF GEOFFREY BOYCOTT......: No other Test cricketer, perhaps
not even Sir Donald Bradman, nor Harold Larwood has been so much in the
news as Geoffrey Boycott. Even since his arrival at Test level, he has
been so much in the news in some form or the other and his actions on
and off the field have attracted the attention of the media. He's been
good copy for the press, radio and television.
Geoffrey Boycott – a much respected Test cricketer |
In a career spanning 24 years (1962 to 1986) Boycott made 48, 426
runs, 1014 innings, 116 times not out, 261 not out as highest, 151
hundreds for average of 56.83.
Geoffrey Boycott, OBE one of the finest opening batsmen of England
who is noted for his ability to occupy the crease, for sometimes for a
number of days has followed up his playing career by becoming an often
outspoken and controversial cricket commentator on both radio and
television. In 2002 he came through a bout of throat cancer through
radiation treatment and his commentating career was revived in 2003,
however, he continues with praise and criticism.
Came through difficult times
He came though some difficult periods when as a eight year-old he
punctured his chest with some spikes near his home and from a dying bed
although he lost his spleen, he came through the difficult period.
In a career spanning from 1968, he has played in over a hundred Test
matches. Boycott means concentration, solid defence and attention.
Boycott is easily a legend in his lifetime. He first played for
Yorkshire in 1962. Two years later came his first Test match for
England, after which be became the first England cricketer to pass 8,000
runs. In an 18-year career he played in 108 Test matches, scored 22 Test
centuries and ended with a Test average of 47.73. While batting has been
his forte, he has taken a few wickets with his medium pace inswingers an
has become a useful bowler in limited-overs cricket. He has helped in
terminating many a good partnerships when they had been threatening to
his side.
But it is as a great batsman that Boycott is known. It is difficult
to think of a better opening batsman than Geoffrey Boycott. Though Barry
Richards came very close to that with almost a copybook defence, he did
not allow his defence to get the better of his attacking strikes.
Defence was only to tackle the good balls and when the bad balls came
around (sometimes even good ball) Barry Richards would hit. And his
batting was exhilarating to watch. But Geoff Boycott, perhaps thinks the
other way.
Many lessons to learn
There is so much one can learn from Boycott's game, right from the
stance which is correct, sideways, facing the bowler, with the elbow
pointing towards the bowler and the head still, not moving and very
little preliminary movement. He first picked up a cricket bat at the age
of nine when his uncle Algy, a county bowler, powered balls at him
between matches. He has had many eventful times in his life. He made his
debut in Test cricket in 1964 and retired in 1982 and one of his
cherished awards was when he was confirmed the title Wisden Cricketer of
the Year for 1965.
Career records
* 14th quickest player to reach 8,000 runs, from 190 innings
* Most centuries for England, shared with Cowdrey and Hammond
* First player to score 99 and then a century in a Test match
* First player to score 99 not out
* Most century partnerships, 48, by an England player
* Test career of 17 years and 216 days
* In 1977 against Australia, became the first English player to bat
all five days of a Test match
* Topped the national averages for six seasons, the highest of any
post-World War II player
* Fourth highest career runs total for an England player, 8114 ,
behind Graham Gooch, Alec Stewart and David Gower
* Sixth most capped player for England in Tests
* Longest time spent at the crease was 629 minutes for 191 runs in
1977
* Inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009
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