13 Comments
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Lou's avatar

Okay Gideon, in the lead up to the WTC against South Africa at Lords in June, can we please have more details and stories about the seventy-eight-year-old left-arm spinner who took a Michelle Pfeiffer.

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Gideon Haigh's avatar

On its way.

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Lou's avatar

Awesome.

Thanks so much!

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Bill Allert's avatar

Something additionally enjoyable about Sir James (as well as Sir Geoffrey and Lord Botham, but I suspect not Sir Andrew and Sir Alastair) is that in another time, the time of Sir Leonard and Sir Alec, he would have enjoyed the prestige of being a knighted professional.

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John McGill's avatar

Why is there nearly as many West Indians knighted as English and only one Australian and Kiwi? Do the countries themselves put forward nominees for consideration?

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Tony Korman's avatar

Bill Woodfull offered a knighthood in 1934 for services to cricket, but turned it down (Gideon -any further details?). Later received an OBE for services to education (Headmaster at Melbourne High School - just down the road from your Yarras home ground)

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Gideon Haigh's avatar

I just consulted Alan Gregory's life of Woodfull, Tony, and it seems like family lore, rather than something for which there's a document trail. Good story if true! Thanks for the lift on Saturday night, btw.

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Tony Korman's avatar

Impressive Windies knights:

Worrell

Sobers

Walcott

Weekes

Hunte

Richards

Hall

Ambrose

Roberts

Richardson

Griffith

Lloyd

Greenidge

Who makes the First XI?

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paul ashbridge's avatar

Wasn't it Fred Trueman rather than Len Hutton who came up with the quip about Francis Drake beingt the last bowler to be knighted?

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martin.english@gmail.com's avatar

Wonderful and interesting rabbit holes there 😀

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Jan Gross's avatar

What is the highest award an Oz cricketer has received in our unknightly times ? -Surely Shane Warne deserved something to go with his State memorial service.

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Greg Hardy's avatar

Dunno, but Sir Glen McGrath would be an appropriate gong for services to cricket and charity. Much like Ian Botham.

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Gideon Haigh's avatar

I'd have given Warnie the Brownlow. He'd have loved that.

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