Wright, Luke, ref 1, ref 2
Writing Home (Bennett), ref 1
Yardley, Bruce, ref 1
Yardley, Norman, ref 1, ref 2
Yarwood, Mike, ref 1
Yorkshire CCC, ref 1
Young, Andrew, ref 1
Zimbabwe, ref 1
Zimbabwe national side, ref 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My thanks to everyone who has helped me with this book and in so many ways during my career, including my ‘literary’ agent, Michael Sissons. (He’s the literary one.) Still more grateful thanks to those who taught me and those with whom I have worked on newspapers and at the BBC – not forgetting the sub-editors, studio managers and engineers.
Further thanks to all I have remembered (with affection in almost all cases) in these pages and the many I have, all too characteristically, forgotten. Above all, thanks to Judy for her patience, understanding and support, and to my family of all generations.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
1. The Walker family in wartime. My maternal grandfather, renowned as a surgeon in Peterborough, is far right on the front row.
2. Aged 13 at a family wedding with my parents and brothers, Timothy, front left, and David, centre.
3. The three musketeers: David, Timothy and Christopher, on a family holiday in Scotland in 1959.
4. Leg stump half-volleys: meat and drink even to non-class batsmen! A boundary en route to my first 50 at Lord’s in 1962.
5. At the Cricketer magazine in 1969 with Micky Stewart (Surrey and England) before drawing the winners in a magazine competition.
6. The formal verdict on one of my first trials as a possible BBC cricket commentator. Robert Hudson was never a man to shower loose praise. My first commentary opportunity came at Old Trafford in a one-day international a year later.
7. The Editor of The Cricketer, circa 1980. (Photo by Adrian Murrell)
8. Media and team always used to get on well together on tours of the sub-continent before the days of televised coverage and specialist press officers: MCC and assorted correspondents at the Taj Mahal hotel, 1976/77: Back Row, l to r: Derek Randall, Keith Fletcher, Dennis Amiss, Bob Woolmer, Geoff Miller, Chris Old, Bob Willis, Mike Selvey, J.K. Lever, Geoff Cope, Roger Tolchard, Graham Barlow, Alan Knott, Bernie Thomas (physio and fixer). Front Row: CMJ (BBC), Clive Taylor (Sun), Mike Brearley (vice capt.), Alex Bannister (Mail), Tony Greig (captain), Peter Laker (Mirror), Ken Barrington (Manager), Pat Gibson (Express), Derek Underwood.
9. The media at play in an Anglo/Australia challenge match in Sydney, 1978/9, each team augmented by a Test cricketer: Players, back row, l to r: Mike Coward, Peter Meares, Brian Mossop, Jim Tucker, Jim Woodward, Dick Tucker, Ken Piesse, Steve Whiting, Peter Lush, CMJ. Front row, l to r: Paul Fitzpatrick, David Frith, Norman Tasker, Bobby Simpson, Rod Nicholson, Peter Laker, Peter McFarlane, Brian Williams, Ken Barrington, Scyld Berry, Derek Hodgson. On the ground: Henry Blofeld, politely toasting the photographer.
10. A gathering at The Cricketers Club in London of most of those working at the microphone for BBC radio on the 1983 World Cup. Back Row, l to r: Ian Davis, Neil Durden-Smith, John Snow, CMJ, Peter Walker, Peter Richardson, Peter Parfitt, Fred Titmus, Brian Johnston. Middle row: Fred Trueman, Colin Milburn, Bob Nixon, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, Don Mosey, Alan Richards, Lucien Wijesinghe, Jim Maxwell, Norman Cuddeford. Front Row: Ralph Dellor, Michael Carey, Tony Cozier, Farokh Engineer, Trevor Bailey, Mushtaq Mohammad, Mike Denness.
11. No jackets and ties needed on radio sometimes. Interviewing Allan Lamb before a Test match in India.
12. Family portrait: Robin, Judy, Lucy, self, James and Sandy, our first dog, at Naldrett House, September 1984.
13. With Judy and Ted Dexter at one of hundreds of sporting charity dinners.
14. Brian Johnston and the bronze bust by Neil Andrew that now resides in state outside the Brian Johnston Media Centre at The Oval.
15. I am not renowned for my mastery of computer technology. Happy to receive a little assistance in the press tent during an England match at the three W’s Oval in Barbados.
16. With Bob ‘The Cat’ Bevan, entertaining players at a Lord’s Taverners golf day.
17. Far from perfection, alas, but golf has been a great substitute for cricket and I still convince myself I am improving.
18. James (right), Robin and Lucy at a party to celebrate Robin’s 21st and Lucy’s 18th birthdays.
19. Something has amused Henry Blofeld and Bill Frindall – My Dear Old Thing and the Bearded Wonder – at an Oval Test match.
20. Leisure time on tour. With Mike Selvey of the Guardian, about to board a small flying boat in northern Queensland before inspecting the pitch on the barrier reef.
21. Test Match Special. Rain delays play at The Oval in an England v. India but the show must go on as usual. Back row, l to r: Jonathan Agnew, Vic Marks, CMJ, Peter Baxter, Henry Blofeld, Bill Frindall. Front row: Harsha Bhogle, Sunil Gavaskar, Shilpa Patel, Eleanor Oldroyd.
22. Proud parents with Robin, newly capped by Sussex at Horsham in 2000.
23. M-Js all: Robin, Flora, Anthea, David, James, Nicola, self, Lily, Tim, Najwa, Judy and Lucy at the wedding of James and Nicola in Provence, October 2002.
24. Photographed by Patrick Eagar in the week that I became President of MCC.
25. Sussex are County Champions for the first time, 2003. Carl Hopkinson (top), R.M-J and Mushtaq Ahmed, the genius who made it possible, share the joy.
1. The Walker family in wartime. My maternal grandfather, renowned as a surgeon in Peterborough, is far right on the front row.
2. Aged 13 at a family wedding with my parents and brothers, Timothy, front left, and David, centre.
3. The three musketeers: David, Timothy and Christopher, on a family holiday in Scotland in 1959.
4. Leg stump half-volleys: meat and drink even to non-class batsmen! A boundary en route to my first 50 at Lord’s in 1962.
5. At the Cricketer magazine in 1969 with Micky Stewart (Surrey and England) before drawing the winners in a magazine competition.
6. The formal verdict on one of my first trials as a possible BBC cricket commentator. Robert Hudson was never a man to shower loose praise. My first commentary opportunity came at Old Trafford in a one-day international a year later.
7. The Editor of The Cricketer, circa 1980. (Photo by Adrian Murrell)
8. Media and team always used to get on well together on tours of the sub-continent before the days of televised coverage and specialist press officers: MCC and assorted correspondents at the Taj Mahal hotel, 1976/77: Back Row, l to r: Derek Randall, Keith Fletcher, Dennis Amiss, Bob Woolmer, Geoff Miller, Chris Old, Bob Willis, Mike Selvey, J.K. Lever, Geoff Cope, Roger Tolchard, Graham Barlow, Alan Knott, Bernie Thomas (physio and fixer). Front Row: CMJ (BBC), Clive Taylor (Sun), Mike Brearley (vice capt.), Alex Bannister (Mail), Tony Greig (captain), Peter Laker (Mirror), Ken Barrington (Manager), Pat Gibson (Express), Derek Underwood.
9. The media at play in an Anglo/Australia challenge match in Sydney, 1978/9, each team augmented by a Test cricketer: Players, back row, l to r: Mike Coward, Peter Meares, Brian Mossop, Jim Tucker, Jim Woodward, Dick Tucker, Ken Piesse, Steve Whiting, Peter Lush, CMJ. Front row, l to r: Paul Fitzpatrick, David Frith, Norman Tasker, Bobby Simpson, Rod Nicholson, Peter Laker, Peter McFarlane, Brian Williams, Ken Barrington, Scyld Berry, Derek Hodgson. On the ground: Henry Blofeld, politely toasting the photographer.
10. A gathering at The Cricketers Club in London of most of those working at the microphone for BBC radio on the 1983 World Cup. Back Row, l to r: Ian Davis, Neil Durden-Smith, John Snow, CMJ, Peter Walker, Peter Richardson, Peter Parfitt, Fred Titmus, Brian Johnston. Middle row: Fred Trueman, Colin Milburn, Bob Nixon, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, Don Mosey, Alan Richards, Lucien Wijesinghe, Jim Maxwell, Norman Cuddeford. Front Row: Ralph Dellor, Michael Carey, Tony Cozier, Farokh Engineer, Trevor Bailey, Mushtaq Mohammad, Mike Denness.
11. No jackets and ties needed on radio sometimes. Interview
ing Allan Lamb before a Test match in India.
12. Family portrait: Robin, Judy, Lucy, self, James and Sandy, our first dog, at Naldrett House, September 1984.
13. With Judy and Ted Dexter at one of hundreds of sporting charity dinners.
14. Brian Johnston and the bronze bust by Neil Andrew that now resides in state outside the Brian Johnston Media Centre at The Oval.
15. I am not renowned for my mastery of computer technology. Happy to receive a little assistance in the press tent during an England match at the three W’s Oval in Barbados.
16. With Bob ‘The Cat’ Bevan, entertaining players at a Lord’s Taverners golf day.
17. Far from perfection, alas, but golf has been a great substitute for cricket and I still convince myself I am improving.
18. James (right), Robin and Lucy at a party to celebrate Robin’s 21st and Lucy’s 18th birthdays.
19. Something has amused Henry Blofeld and Bill Frindall – My Dear Old Thing and the Bearded Wonder – at an Oval Test match.
20. Leisure time on tour. With Mike Selvey of the Guardian, about to board a small flying boat in northern Queensland before inspecting the pitch on the barrier reef.
21. Test Match Special. Rain delays play at The Oval in an England v. India but the show must go on as usual. Back row, l to r: Jonathan Agnew, Vic Marks, CMJ, Peter Baxter, Henry Blofeld, Bill Frindall. Front row: Harsha Bhogle, Sunil Gavaskar, Shilpa Patel, Eleanor Oldroyd.
22. Proud parents with Robin, newly capped by Sussex at Horsham in 2000.
23. M-Js all: Robin, Flora, Anthea, David, James, Nicola, self, Lily, Tim, Najwa, Judy and Lucy at the wedding of James and Nicola in Provence, October 2002.
24. Photographed by Patrick Eagar in the week that I became President of MCC.
25. Sussex are County Champions for the first time, 2003. Carl Hopkinson (top), R.M-J and Mushtaq Ahmed, the genius who made it possible, share the joy.
CMJ Page 43
