Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Cricketer, captain of Yorkshire and opening bat for England.
On the island
Eight records
Well a very beautiful song by sung by Dion Warwick. I'll say a little prayer.
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation 18
Julius Katchen, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
Because it's so beautiful, you can sit down and relax to it.
Somewhere (from West Side Story)
Original American Cast Recording
A lovely song called Somewhere from a musical called Westside Story which I thought was terrific. It was years ahead of its time.
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (from The Nutcracker)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan
Well, I've just discovered uh ballet. … the London Festival ballet I played at Bradford in Yorkshire and I thought it was beautiful.
My WayFavourite
I think because he's trying to say as he comes towards the end of his career that he's had many ups and downs, but he … still gone on believing that he was right … Like my career, I've had my ups and downs … and yet I've gone on believing that the game is bigger than me and that I'm still enjoying it.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:38How do you think you could face up to the prospect of loneliness of that sort [on a desert island]?
Well, I'm not one of these people who always needs somebody to talk to. I like a bit of quietness, and I suppose I get plenty on a desert island. And I like to sit and think and do all kinds of things like that.
Presenter asks
6:14You were the 1964 Player of the Year. One thing that emerged from all the cricket writers' stories is that you're a very positive thinker at the wicket.
Yes, well … I'm rather proud of this because there are many times in your career or when you're batting that you have to make a decision very, very quickly indeed. … I've always been able to make a very quick decision. And you never allow yourself to envisage any possibility of being out.
Presenter asks
12:30You had a telephone call while you were in Australia that was very important in your life.
It came as a tremendous surprise at 8.30 in the evening in Brisbane. And all it said was … there's a call for Mr. Wilson and Mr. Boycott. I had no idea who it was because I don't know anybody in Leeds and it turned out to be mister Nash asking me to be Captain of Yorkshire, which was tremendous.
The keepsakes
The book
Well, my career has been wrapped up in cricket since I was 10 years old, and I hope I'll go on being involved with cricket for many, many years. So I'd like to take a volume of Wisden's Almanac.
The luxury
Well, it'd be nice to ring up people in the world and find out day-to-day affairs and have a nice bit of chit-chat. I get lonely on a desert island, you know.
Presenter asks
15:12How good would you be at looking after yourself on a desert island?
Well, I don't do very much at home, actually … But … I'm usually very good at survival of the fittest and I think … I'd make out.
Presenter asks
15:27What are you going to do in your spare time if there is any [on the island]?
Well one of the things I would definitely do is teach the monkeys how to bowl coconuts at me because I've never had enough net bowlers and I've been batting. I think actually I would try and keep myself very fit. … I believe if you're a fit person you're far more capable of doing anything in life.
Presenter asks
18:35And one luxury to take with you?
A telephone. … Well, it'd be nice to ring up people in the world and find out day-to-day affairs and have a nice bit of chit-chat. I get lonely on a desert island, you know.
“I'm not one of these people who always needs somebody to talk to. I like a bit of quietness, and I suppose I get plenty on a desert island.”
“I became very introspective, a little bit nervous of my own talents. And I stifled myself. And I didn't go out and play my normal game. I learned a lesson from it. And I think since then I've been a far better player.”
“It just seemed that nothing could go wrong. Every ball that was bowler, I just never let it enter my head that I could get out. I just felt every time that I could hit it for runs, four or six.”
“Like my career, I've had my ups and downs, … my troubles in Australia and … getting dropped from a test match and yet I've gone on believing that the game is bigger than me and that I'm still enjoying it.”