I never saw him play but he was part of BBC's cricket coverage on TV for many years alongside Richie Benaud, Jim Laker, Tom Graveney, and Ray Illingworth so he's someone I grew up with in a cricketing sense.
Yes, a very fine cricketer indeed. A great raconteur and Bon Viveur. Remember seeing him well pissed at The Rectory Field (Blackheath), when he was guest of honour giving out the prizes etc at a charity cricket match. It was around 1960, I was 12. Remember climbing up a huge conker tree to get some, only to find it had been coated in black anti climb paint…..ruined my Sunday best clothes. Mum and dad not at all pleased. RIP…..Sir Ted…..RIP.
Met Ted at Lords in 1993 when I was working for the TCCB (now ECB).
My boss Ken came into the office with Ted while I was at my desk and he introduced me.
Dexter gave the slightest raise of his eyebrow towards me but otherwise completely ignored me and carried on talking about the round of golf he’d played on the weekend.
The next day I came into the office and found Dennis Compton sitting at my desk and he was the nicest star I have ever met, absolutely charming.
R I P Lord Ted .. apart from being a 'dasher' with the bat, he did a lot to introduce the one day game to pro cricket .. he was also the Chairman of Selectors for a while .. real old fashioned English sportsman although he was born in Milan !
RIP Lord Ted ..a true maverick old fashioned sportsman a real life character from a boys own story..a very talented golfer too and one of the real forces behind the introduction of limited overs cricket.
Must have been 1967 but saw him playing for the Cavaliers v a windies X1 at the rectory field ..it rained sixes
He captained England against West Indies in 1963 which was when I really got into cricket. Wes Hall was in his pomp during that series and 'Lord Ted' played a fine innings of 70 when, in typical England fashion, the rest of the batting struggled.
He had a few years away from the game as he dallied in politics, standing in the 1964 General Election unsuccessfully, and then had a serious car accident. However he came back into the test side in 1968 against Australia. The selectors made it a condition of his selection that he played a county match first. He turned out against Kent at Hastings, a ground Derek Underwood loved, and took 203 off the Kent attack which included Underwood and Norman Graham who was bowling very well at the time. 'Lord Ted' hadn't played first class cricket for 3 years or so prior to that innings.
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Another sad loss.
Remember seeing him well pissed at The Rectory Field (Blackheath), when he was guest of honour giving out the prizes etc at a charity cricket match.
It was around 1960, I was 12.
Remember climbing up a huge conker tree to get some, only to find it had been coated in black anti climb paint…..ruined my Sunday best clothes.
Mum and dad not at all pleased.
RIP…..Sir Ted…..RIP.
My boss Ken came into the office with Ted while I was at my desk and he introduced me.
Dexter gave the slightest raise of his eyebrow towards me but otherwise completely ignored me and carried on talking about the round of golf he’d played on the weekend.
The next day I came into the office and found Dennis Compton sitting at my desk and he was the nicest star I have ever met, absolutely charming.
Must have been 1967 but saw him playing for the Cavaliers v a windies X1 at the rectory field ..it rained sixes
He had a few years away from the game as he dallied in politics, standing in the 1964 General Election unsuccessfully, and then had a serious car accident. However he came back into the test side in 1968 against Australia. The selectors made it a condition of his selection that he played a county match first. He turned out against Kent at Hastings, a ground Derek Underwood loved, and took 203 off the Kent attack which included Underwood and Norman Graham who was bowling very well at the time. 'Lord Ted' hadn't played first class cricket for 3 years or so prior to that innings.
RIP