February 11, 2010

B.B.O.T.D.- Pinocchio's Curse


William Morris "Bill" Lawry, one of my favorite cricketers and cricket commentators celebrates his birthday on this very day. Very well known and easily identified by the size of his "nose", Bill was a superb opening batsman. With an almost dead-man stance the strokes he could hit were nothing less than elegant. Ian Wooldridge, the English journalist, called him "a corpse with pads on". Quite as a cricketer Bill Lawry was quite a surprise in the commentary box. He would rarely shut up and had the viewers/listeners glued to the game. With him on entertainment was guaranteed.

Ian Chappell gave him the nickname 'Phantom', a rip-roaringly hilarious and appropriate nickname which happened upon finding Phantom comics in his kitbag. Any references to his nose or even its size is considered as a crime in Australia. More so, that some of the pics here are not legally viewable down under. So, have a piece of cake and celebrate cos' tis all happening here at Wah! Cricket.

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