Bob Willis RIP
Discussion
Sky News reporting Bob Willis has died after a short illness
https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11878...
https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11878...
Wow.....never forget that 8 for at Headingley. That spell would be in a very short list for greatest spell of fast bowling by an English bowler that I’ve seen. He was the last proper quick bowler England had for an awfully long time. He wasn’t on the recent Sky coverage (The Debate) of the NZ Tour so maybe he’s been ill for a while.
pavarotti1980 said:
Sky News reporting Bob Willis has died after a short illness
https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11878...
Says a long illness in the report.https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11878...
They'll need a lot of space to give him the run-up he needs in the other place!
Cheib said:
R.G.D WIillis indeed....from an era when every schoolboy knew the initials of all the test match team
G.A. Gooch
D.I, Gower
I.T. Botham
R.W. Taylor (how many times did he and WIllis bat together ?!?!)
J.K. Lever (I’m an Essex boy)
G.R. Dilley
etc etc
G.A. Gooch
D.I, Gower
I.T. Botham
R.W. Taylor (how many times did he and WIllis bat together ?!?!)
J.K. Lever (I’m an Essex boy)
G.R. Dilley
etc etc
How true that is. As a Somerset fan, I could add B.C.Rose, C.H.Dredge and P.W.Denning to that list.
ETA - his action would be the one I'd try to copy in the local rec however due to my state of fitness, I could only manage a three ball over! Incredible run up but oh my word, would he ever steam in like an express train!!
Dermot O'Logical said:
Headingley 1981 wasn't all about Ian Botham, it also belonged to R.G.D. Willis.
He was truly in "the zone" and Australia were ritually slaughtered in a match that they couldn't lose, but did.
RIP Bob. Your place in English cricket folklore is assured.
Well I’ve learnt something I never knew...the “D” was for Dylan....he changed his name by dead poll because he loved Bob Dylan! Some great coverage out there....the TMS Podcast is excellent and Atheron’s piece in The Times is also very good. Reading the latter it’s clear that he’d been ill for some time Atherton mentioned that there was a lunch for him and a few friends at the end of The Ashes before having another round of chemo. He was truly in "the zone" and Australia were ritually slaughtered in a match that they couldn't lose, but did.
RIP Bob. Your place in English cricket folklore is assured.
It’s great to know that his privacy was respected, had no idea he’d been ill for what seems like quite a while.
GloverMart said:
Cheib said:
R.G.D WIillis indeed....from an era when every schoolboy knew the initials of all the test match team
G.A. Gooch
D.I, Gower
I.T. Botham
R.W. Taylor (how many times did he and WIllis bat together ?!?!)
J.K. Lever (I’m an Essex boy)
G.R. Dilley
etc etc
G.A. Gooch
D.I, Gower
I.T. Botham
R.W. Taylor (how many times did he and WIllis bat together ?!?!)
J.K. Lever (I’m an Essex boy)
G.R. Dilley
etc etc
How true that is. As a Somerset fan, I could add B.C.Rose, C.H.Dredge and P.W.Denning to that list.
john2443 said:
Thanks for posting that....long time since I’ve watched that session of play. Apart from that last wicket for some reason the one that really sticks in my mind is Dilley’s catch on the boundary. Also what was interesting is how aggressive England were with their fielding positions....five slips and a short leg when Willis started taking the wickets. If Archer was bowling today with 120 runs on the board I doubt we’d have more than two slips. Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff