David Gower

[zaremba]

The man needs a thread of his own. In fact, not the man, and certainly not the commentator, but the heaven-sent and blessed cricketer with a talent that many of us would have committed mass murder for.

Thoughts and memories please.

Here's an excellent pen portrait of an innings in which Gower himself has said he thought he was at the top of his form. Cut brutally short by a silly shot. Says it all.

 

[Prince EWS]

What's your beef with Gower's commentary?

 

[zaremba]

His pedestrian commentary suffers all the more by comparison with his cricket

 

[Viscount Tom]

Considering he sometimes shares the box with such people as Ian Botham and Ravi Shastri I think he does a good job.

Also remember his classic line in the last Ashes 'AAAAaaaaarghhhh"

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think there's always a perception of Gower being something of a dilettante. Because he made it look so effortless observers usually concluded he could/should have done more with the ability he had.

There's no doubt in my mind he was "let go" too early from international duties tho. His approach may have been at odds with Mickey Stewart's & Gooch's more rigid regime, but England in the early 90s weren't exactly overburdened with world class players. I suspect had Strauss been in charge (another cricketer patently from what used to be called the "officer class") back in the day we'd have seen more of Lord Gah.

 

[Prince EWS]

Was average in the Charity Shield tonight.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Was average in the Charity Shield tonight.

Made myself a bet when I saw PEWS had posted he'd be making an NRL reference.

Good to have a second career, etc.

 

[Prince EWS]

Made myself a bet when I saw PEWS had posted he'd be making an NRL reference.

Good to have a second career, etc.

Haha well my first post in here wasn't an NRL reference, and I manage to restrain myself pretty well with the Matt Prior gag tbf.

 

[Howe_zat]

David Gower 200* vs India 1st test 1979 - YouTube

David Gower 100 vs Australia 2nd test MCG 1990/91 - YouTube

David Gower 123 vs Australia 3rd test SCG 1990/91 - YouTube

#CheersRob

 

[Burgey]

David Gower was probably the most effortlessly graceful batsman I've ever seen. He had the best attitude to the game too.

Lawson told the story of lunch on day two of the 89 test when Taylor and Marsh batted through day one. Gower was in the pavilion at lunch with a glass of champers. At this stage the score was 1-380 odd. Lawson asked what the champagne was for.

"I'm celebrating our wicket, Henry", said Gower.

 

[wpdavid]

I remember watching his first ball in test cricket, a long hop from Liquid Ali that he pulled for four. Gower reckons it's probably a good job that Imran missed that series, but it was still a decent start. Typically, he reached 50 without breaking sweat before giving it away.

I remember the 1985 Ashes when he made a series of monstrously huge hundreds. of course, we now know that the Aus attack was as bad as it's ever been, but it was still a glorious summer.

I remember him being appallingly treated by Peter May after the 1986 tour of the WI and I remember getting all emotional when he made a big 100 in Australia later that year. Again, their attack was hopeless, but it didn't really matter.

I remember him making another glorious hundred against a rather better Aus attack in our next tour down under.

 

[Hurricane]

My David Gower memory is mainly just one over of batting (saw him bat various times but this over is what I remember).
Bruce Reid was bowling at one end and had taken a couple of wickets. Gower worked the strike so that he was facing and started turning down singles so that he could shield the other bats from him. And then in this over Reid bowled it short outside off and Gower played the best back foot cover drive for four I have seen. He then did two more in the same over and Reid was conquered for the day.

The commentators were somewhat understated

"The fans could be in for a real treat here if Gower gets going".

 

[fredfertang]

He had guts too, which helped endear him to all when he gave it away, as did that rueful smile he always found afterwards

 

[Furball]

What's your beef with Gower's commentary?

It's a bit crap really. Maybe we're just spoiled by the quality of the rest of the box but I think Gower is pretty lacking in comparison to his Sky colleagues.

He's excellent at being the anchor though.

 

[vic_orthdox]

The captain at our cricket club is endlessly compared, by guys older than him, to David Gower. Even Matthew Elliott, who obv. knows his cricketers, says that he bats like him... ***developing hard-on***

 

[Anil]

the most effortlessly stylish batsman i have ever had the privilege to see...just wonderful to watch when in full flow...

 

[Biryani Pillow]

Fantastic player.

On the way to his first Test ton he went from 95 to 99 with a lofted on drive off Stephen Boock. If he'd hit the ball a yard straighter and 6 feet further I'd have caught it (well, probably dropped it).

I recall a superb, and very easy, 50 he scored for the MCC v India in 1982. An elderly chap near me turned to his friend and said "you know, I saw Woolley bat but this chap's more elegant".

Amongst many stylish innings, often ended with a seemingly lazy waft (often that waft went to the boundary though), it is forgotten that he played a number of long, battling innings that rescued his side - or at least greatly added to the score.

One of the finest cover fielders Ive seen too - until his shoulder went.

 

[Arjun]

When India was on tour in England in 2002, I remember this interview by Harsha Bhogle, where he mentions (among other non-cricket incidents) that incident involving the Kagura. He's still not happy with that decision, and felt the management got it really wrong.

A former player remembers that incident when he felt the team wasn't listening to him, so he gave everyone a T-shirt to wear, saying "I'm not in charge", and then he wore a tee that said "I'm in charge". Quite a colourful character indeed, and brought out a lot of it in his batting style.

Boycs said about him, he's one really good player to have in your side, but you don't want a top six full of such players.

He's also one of my personal favourite commentators (a lot of other Indians like him too), because he's not as much a stereotypical stiff English commentator (Atherton, Tim Robinson, all the less famous, non-Sky folks) and has his own character to his commentary.