As a schoolboy, I saw Colin Cowdrey bat a number of times at Canterbury at the tail end of his career. To me, he was a strangely diffident batsman, often playing with excessive caution bowlers he had the strokes to dominate. Every now and then, he permitted himself the luxury of a cover driven boundary that demonstrated this fact. His fielding at slip was obviously less sharp than in his pomp, but there was really nowhere else he could field. His build was 'comfortable', to say the least, and he was not a fast mover. Most people thought he played on too long with nothing to prove, but there was one last glorious hurrah in the ton he scored for Kent against the Aussies in 1975. I saw that innings. He was 42 years old then and he made good runs against an attack that included Lillee, Gilmour and Mallett. The applause he got from the Aussies was generous and well meant. A man not, I think, given to any great show of emotion, his pleasure when he reached his century was evident.
Salute you Sir 'Cowdrey! 🫡 I used to see his pics in newspapers in my early schooldays&my 4th elder brother used to tell me about his greatness!&later I was selected to play for interstate & then Zonal Schools Team&when I left my small town for Bombay I got a chance to play for the great Vijay Merchant's company team! 🏏 Nice to see Colin speaking here!❤ 👍
The whole Maestro series was wonderful. Unpretentious and thoughtful. The classification of " Maestro" should only be stamped on the truly elite sportsman/ woman in their field.
Charming man, although after a couple of drinks that charm might seem a bit glib. With the bat, had all the time in the world to play the ball - and then took his time over his strokes. Certainly as courageous as the best: facing Thompson, at 41, with no practice. Should have remained a player, in my opinion, and never taken up administration, but then, we don't know unless we try.
@@dlamiss I was there and it was a superb knock. Still have the scorecard and treasure the memories of him playing that fantastic Aussie attack like they were county trundlers!
Amazing that despite being a very fit man playing Test cricket for years, he apparently failed his National Service medical for the RAF because of flat feet?
Ironic that the Spirit of Cricket preamble is in his name. He was known to be a 'selective' walker. If he didn't matter he'd leave the crease straight away but other times he'd take the cover off one, nit be given, and stay at the crease.
Cowdrey was at best a weak man with dubiuos integrity. He told Basil D'Oliveira that he would back him with the selectors after his surprise return to form during the Oval test against the Ausies in 1968 for England's tour that winter to South Africa. It is now known that Cowdrey didn't along with all the other selectors, except Don Kenyon. Prior to the 1970/71 Ashes tour, as Deputy Captain under Illingworth he was allowed to sit as a selector in deference to his seniority as an England cricketer. He turned up mob handed with MCC members at the selection meeting determined to prevent D'Oliveira from touring, on the grounds that in the West Indies under Cowdrey, during the winter of 1967/68, he thought D'Oliveira had socialised too much with the locals to the detriment of team harmony. Prior to the meeting and with the agreement of the chairman of selectors, Alec Bedser, Ray Illingworth had promised D'Oliveira that he would go to Australia. When Cowdrey seemed to be winning the arguement Illingworth threatened to resign. At which point Cowdrey backed down. D'Oliveira went and England won the series 2-0 and regained the Ashes. On that last point Illingworth received little support from his sulky deputy and even less from the Team Manager - David Clark, another 'Man of Kent.'
His cric info profile suggested He tended to "walk" in county games with little on them and his reputation from county games carried him through test cricket where he "tended to get the umpiring decisions" Cric info words not mine. In the same article Illingworth claimed he wasnt well liked by many fellow cricketers..........In all honesty he was slightly before my time.
David Clark went on record saying that he'd rather Eng lost the series so long as we played "the right way". What a complete dick. Didn't like the ultra professional approach of Illingworth.
When Cricket and society were so much better.
I wish I could go back to those days
As a schoolboy, I saw Colin Cowdrey bat a number of times at Canterbury at the tail end of his career. To me, he was a strangely diffident batsman, often playing with excessive caution bowlers he had the strokes to dominate. Every now and then, he permitted himself the luxury of a cover driven boundary that demonstrated this fact. His fielding at slip was obviously less sharp than in his pomp, but there was really nowhere else he could field. His build was 'comfortable', to say the least, and he was not a fast mover. Most people thought he played on too long with nothing to prove, but there was one last glorious hurrah in the ton he scored for Kent against the Aussies in 1975. I saw that innings. He was 42 years old then and he made good runs against an attack that included
Lillee, Gilmour and Mallett. The applause he got from the Aussies was generous and well meant. A man not, I think, given to any great show of emotion, his pleasure when he reached his century was evident.
Salute you Sir 'Cowdrey! 🫡 I used to see his pics in newspapers in my early schooldays&my 4th elder brother used to tell me about his greatness!&later I was selected to play for interstate & then Zonal Schools Team&when I left my small town for Bombay I got a chance to play for the great Vijay Merchant's company team! 🏏 Nice to see Colin speaking here!❤ 👍
what a gentleman only wish we had people like that today. unfortunately we don’t
Whatever that means.
Called "The Master" and quite rightly so. One of the best.
Barry Davies - what a voice.
Fantastic programme - thanks a lot for finding this!!!
My boyhood cricketing hero!
My favorite slip fielder.....safe hands.
The whole Maestro series was wonderful. Unpretentious and thoughtful. The classification of " Maestro" should only be stamped on the truly elite sportsman/ woman in their field.
Hahahaha
He actually does a very very good Australian accent top notch spot on well done Colin
Great doco as well
0:45 That match was from Monday, 21st of August 1972. Kent v Australia at Canterbury. Aussies won by 9 wickets
Two supreme masters of their respective crafts.
The David Lloyd anecdote right at the end.
That's us, the English. The Kentish English.
When cricketers were gentlemen
Charming man, although after a couple of drinks that charm might seem a bit glib. With the bat, had all the time in the world to play the ball - and then took his time over his strokes. Certainly as courageous as the best: facing Thompson, at 41, with no practice. Should have remained a player, in my opinion, and never taken up administration, but then, we don't know unless we try.
he made 150 against the 75 Aussie touring team for Kent. great way to bow out.
@@dlamiss I was there and it was a superb knock. Still have the scorecard and treasure the memories of him playing that fantastic Aussie attack like they were county trundlers!
@@rogerwarren75 yes i believe the aussies got to their next destination at midnight that night
the last hunded kent Australians was 1975 not 77 and was 151 not 157.
Great slipsman..
Amazing that despite being a very fit man playing Test cricket for years, he apparently failed his National Service medical for the RAF because of flat feet?
I read the" Call Up” and accept what was said about him .
26:30 why did the crowd disturbance result in a draw? A hostile partisan crowd disrupting play should count as a victory for the visiting side.
Colin Cowdrey would have scored a raft of runs today.
Without doubt but they would've told him to lose weight.
Ironic that the Spirit of Cricket preamble is in his name.
He was known to be a 'selective' walker.
If he didn't matter he'd leave the crease straight away but other times he'd take the cover off one, nit be given, and stay at the crease.
spoiled by barry davies
Before pathetic t20, glorified baseball
Cowdrey was at best a weak man with dubiuos integrity. He told Basil D'Oliveira that he would back him with the selectors after his surprise return to form during the Oval test against the Ausies in 1968 for England's tour that winter to South Africa. It is now known that Cowdrey didn't along with all the other selectors, except Don Kenyon.
Prior to the 1970/71 Ashes tour, as Deputy Captain under Illingworth he was allowed to sit as a selector in deference to his seniority as an England cricketer. He turned up mob handed with MCC members at the selection meeting determined to prevent D'Oliveira from touring, on the grounds that in the West Indies under Cowdrey, during the winter of 1967/68, he thought D'Oliveira had socialised too much with the locals to the detriment of team harmony. Prior to the meeting and with the agreement of the chairman of selectors, Alec Bedser, Ray Illingworth had promised D'Oliveira that he would go to Australia. When Cowdrey seemed to be winning the arguement Illingworth threatened to resign. At which point Cowdrey backed down. D'Oliveira went and England won the series 2-0 and regained the Ashes.
On that last point Illingworth received little support from his sulky deputy and even less from the Team Manager - David Clark, another 'Man of Kent.'
His cric info profile suggested He tended to "walk" in county games with little on them and his reputation from county games carried him through test cricket where he "tended to get the umpiring decisions" Cric info words not mine. In the same article Illingworth claimed he wasnt well liked by many fellow cricketers..........In all honesty he was slightly before my time.
Because of course you are a hero to us all.
@@sillysausage4549 No. But Cowdrey was undoubtably over-rated and lack a strong ethical compass.
David Clark went on record saying that he'd rather Eng lost the series so long as we played "the right way". What a complete dick. Didn't like the ultra professional approach of Illingworth.