I once wrote:
When Brearley became England's captain in 1977 it was almost as though Jonathan Miller or Michael Frayn had been put in charge. Brearley was a representative of liberal North London in an age when cricket was still run by the Establishment. He was part of a more enlightened tendency within the game which embraced such figures as John Arlott and the Revd David Sheppard and had its finest hour when South Africa objected to the selection of Basil D'Oliveira for England's 1968-9 tour.That was in 2007, when it was announced that Mike Brearley was to be the next President of the MCC.
He was at Lord's again today in a different capacity - ringing the bell five minutes before play started - the ground's website took the chance to record this short interview with him.
This is a chance for me to recommend Brearley's cricket books. The Art of Captaincy is the best known, but it is will worth seeking out his books on individual series too.
Still, it is shock to discover that one of my youthful sporting heroes is 71.
1 comment:
The Mike Brearley interview with John Arlott (recently repeated on BBC4) is pretty weird. Brearley evidently felt uncomfortable in his new role -- as apt as John Redwood presenting a TV talent show. But somehow, the interview is compelling. When Arlott talks about Basil D'Oliveira, Brearley knows how to push the right Arlott buttons.
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