Sir Geoffrey Boycott's Autobiography.

pettgra

Due out soon; therefore if there is anyone you do note like, could be a good present.
I would hope it is more entertaining than his batting. My dad said that when he walked out to bat, the blokes went to the bar.
Fair play on giving the Big C a run for its money though. Well done on that one.

The Red Robin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAeFm22xB7Q

pettgra

The Red Robin said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAeFm22xB7Q

Ha Ha. That made me chuckle.

charltonkeston

He knows how to play all the shots better now than when he had to.
In saying that he was an opening bat for England for a long time so, he wern't half as dull, boring and crap as some would have you believe.

killerandflash

He was a cautious player, and yes could be a bit slow...

But he faced some fearsome bowling at times, most modern players wouldn't last 5 minutes against some of the pace bowlers of his era, especially with the lack of protective equipment and livelier pitches.

MrOneLung

Uncovered pitches.
Cloth cap on his head.
A box and maybe an arm guard and that was it.

Different gravy to what current batsmen face.

Kap10

killerandflash said:

He was a cautious player, and yes could be a bit slow...

But he faced some fearsome bowling at times, most modern players wouldn't last 5 minutes against some of the pace bowlers of his era, especially with the lack of protective equipment and livelier pitches.

However, my recollection is that he ducked a few tours to avoid those fearsome bowlers. In his own way a great batsman, but too selfish, did not care about the team or other individuals. didn't he beat up his girlfriend too?

The_President

MrOneLung said:

Uncovered pitches.
Cloth cap on his head.
A box and maybe an arm guard and that was it.

Different gravy to what current batsmen face.

Aye, and he lived int 'ole int roooad, with a stick of rooobarb for supper.

I've had the misfortune of meeting him, biggest up-his-own i've ever met - thank god it was only a 1 minute conversation, i was far too unimportant for him to waste his breath on.

mattaddick

I read his previous autobiography which must have been published around 86/87 and it was a great read. Love him or loathe him, the bloke has strong views and is not afraid to express them. Give me that any day over the banal fence-sitters.

killerandflash

Kap10 said:

killerandflash said:

He was a cautious player, and yes could be a bit slow...

But he faced some fearsome bowling at times, most modern players wouldn't last 5 minutes against some of the pace bowlers of his era, especially with the lack of protective equipment and livelier pitches.

However, my recollection is that he ducked a few tours to avoid those fearsome bowlers. In his own way a great batsman, but too selfish, did not care about the team or other individuals. didn't he beat up his girlfriend too?

It was alleged that he went missing in the mid 70s Lillee/Thomson period, but he was very much back to face the West Indies fearsome attack!
He was in some respects a selfish player, I think he's said himself that if he'd taken up an individual sport like Golf, it might have been easier

lolwray

killerandflash said:

Kap10 said:

killerandflash said:

He was a cautious player, and yes could be a bit slow...

But he faced some fearsome bowling at times, most modern players wouldn't last 5 minutes against some of the pace bowlers of his era, especially with the lack of protective equipment and livelier pitches.

However, my recollection is that he ducked a few tours to avoid those fearsome bowlers. In his own way a great batsman, but too selfish, did not care about the team or other individuals. didn't he beat up his girlfriend too?

It was alleged that he went missing in the mid 70s Lillee/Thomson period, but he was very much back to face the West Indies fearsome attack!
He was in some respects a selfish player, I think he's said himself that if he'd taken up an individual sport like Golf, it might have been easier

i think you ll find that he went some way to avoiding the Windies too

my favourite Boycott story

he was batting for England and they were having trouble reading/picking a certain spin bowler .he had worked out a method ..a midwicket conference happened with him and his batting partner ...word to this effect ,partner to Boycott

"ah i worked him out now just play him as an off spinner "..Boycotts reply "yes i know but dont tell anyone else "

i also like the story that Brian Close once hung him up from a clothes peg whilst playing for yorkshire

Clem_Snide

I look forward to reading about him beating his ex-partner up in that French Hotel room.

Covered End

The Red Robin said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAeFm22xB7Q

Nice one.

TelMc32

I take it it will be a very, very slow read!! I put him in the same sanctimonious camp as Willis.

Chippycafc

Listened to a radio interview with him once when he was an England batsmen where he said," he batted in 15 minute spells where he couldnt care whether he scored 20 runs or no runs during that period"...he said "concentration was the key to his success"....how many people did he run out though.

C_A_F_C

Im Boycotting it.

thai malaysia addick

My best story about Boycott was when I went to a Test match against Sri Lanka in Colombo. At the end of the day's play, I was looking for my pre-ordered taxi back to my hotel. I was in the same hotel as the England team, Boycs and all the press. A taxi driver standing by a Merc asked me if I was Mr Boycott and wanted a taxi to the Grand Cinnamon Hotel. I was tempted as I couldn't find my taxi but the hotel taxi driver might have got sacked if Boycs kicked up a fuss and it was revealed that a southerner in t-shirt and shorts had pinched his taxi.

guinnessaddick

TelMc32 said:

I take it it will be a very, very slow read!! I put him in the same sanctimonious camp as Willis.

@TelMc32‌ Willis didn't shag a bird from our school?

TelMc32

guinnessaddick said:

TelMc32 said:

I take it it will be a very, very slow read!! I put him in the same sanctimonious camp as Willis.

@TelMc32‌ Willis didn't shag a bird from our school?

Haha...it was my school mate...where I switched for sixth form.