Gentleman and Player: The Story of Colin Cowdrey, Cricket's Most Elegant and Charming Batsman

by Andrew Murtagh

Colin Cowdrey is remembered for the elegance of his strokeplay; but there was more to this complex man than a classical cover drive. Successes were 114 Test matches, 22 Test hundreds, 100 first-class centuries, countless famous victories and unforgettable innings. There was controversy and disappointment too, chief among them being repeated snubs for the England captaincy and the D'Oliveira Affair. Cowdrey was involved in three of England's most memorable Lord's in 1963 against the West Indies, batting at 11 with his arm in plaster, two balls left and all four results possible; Trinidad in 1968 in which England secured a famous victory against the West Indies; and The Oval in 1968 when England gained an improbable final-over win against Australia. In later life, he shone as an administrative leader - as president of Kent and of the MCC, and as chairman of the ICC - and was made a Lord. Sir Garry Sobers spoke for many when he said at his memorial service, "Colin Cowdrey was a great man."

419 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 15, 2017

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like so many sporting biographies this is strong on detail of a cricketing career but painfully light on life in its broader context. It draws out strengths and weaknesses as a cricketer but fails to unwrap a complicated family life until the final chapter. This lack of context shortchanges the reader and it's hard not to contrast Duncan Hamilton's brilliant biography of Harold Larwood which unpacks a whole life. Andrew Murtagh also adds rather too many personal anecdotes and comments on his meetings with Colin Cowdrey's many friends. However there is much depth in the narrative that paints an enigmatic picture of one of our greatest cricketers and the extracts from personal journals are hugely enlightening. Glad to have read but wanted more.