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Over the winter of 1976/77, England toured India in a five Test series through December to February, and it proved to be a revival for Willis. ''Wisden'' recorded the India tour to be the time when he "put to flight any who doubted his right to be acclaimed as one of the world's foremost fast bowlers". Willis took 32 wickets for 15.09 across the entire tour, 20 of those in the Test matches for 16.75. He took five for 27 in the second Test, and then six for 53 in the fourth – earning him career best Test figures thus far, and taking him past 400 first-class wickets. Four of his wickets came in four overs with the second new ball, "although he received no help from the pitch". ''Wisden'' record that "His 20 wickets in the series stamped Willis as a bowler of genuine pace and in-disputable class."
The 1977 Ashes took place across five Tests between June and August that year, in all of which Willis featured. Preceding them were three ODI fixtures, across which Willis took a total of five wickets at 15.80. The first Test took place on 16 June, at
England then moved into the fourth Test 1:1 in the series. Again batting first, Alderman's five-for took England to 189 all out, with Willis making 13 runs. He then bowled a wicketless but "stormy" 19 overs "as if the devil were at his heels" and, after England had set Australia a final target of 151 runs, took two wickets which along with Botham's five-wicket haul dismissed the Australians for 121 and handed England a 29-run victory and a series lead. Willis played for his county against Middlesex between the fourth and fifth Tests, taking one wicket. He then rejoined his team for the fifth Test at
After retiring from playing cricket, Willis established himself as a television commentator on
The Bob Willis Fund
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, Bob 1949 births 2019 deaths People educated at Royal Grammar School, Guildford England One Day International cricketers English cricketers of 1969 to 2000 England Test cricket captains Cricketers at the 1979 Cricket World Cup Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup Northerns cricketers Surrey cricketers Warwickshire cricketers Warwickshire cricket captains Wisden Cricketers of the Year English cricket commentators Members of the Order of the British Empire People from Stoke d'Abernon Cricketers from Sunderland Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers English footballers Cobham F.C. players Association football goalkeepers D. H. Robins' XI cricketers English cricketers Young England cricketers Deaths from prostate cancer Deaths from cancer in England England Test cricketers
Robert George Dylan Willis (born Robert George Willis; 30 May 1949 – 4 December 2019) was an English
; Willis had an elder brother named David, with whom he played cricket in the garden, and an elder sister. In 1965, Willis added his third name "Dylan" by deed poll in honour of American musician cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
er, who represented England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
between 1971 and 1984. A right-handed fast bowler
Fast bowling (also referred to as pace bowling) is one of two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket, the other being spin bowling. Practitioners of pace bowling are usually known as ''fast'' bowlers, ''quicks'', or ''pacemen''. ...
, Willis is regarded by many as one of the greatest fast bowlers
Fast bowling (also referred to as pace bowling) is one of two main approaches to bowling (cricket), bowling in the sport of cricket, the other being spin bowling. Practitioners of pace bowling are usually known as ''fast'' bowlers, ''quicks'', ...
of all time.
He is England's fourth-highest wicket-taker as of 2019, behind James Anderson James Anderson may refer to:
Arts
*James Anderson (American actor) (1921–1969), American actor
*James Anderson (author) (1936–2007), British mystery writer
*James Anderson (English actor) (born 1980), British actor
* James Anderson (filmmaker) ...
, Stuart Broad
Stuart may refer to:
Names
*Stuart (name), a given name and surname (and list of people with the name) Automobile
* Stuart (automobile)
Places
Australia Generally
*Stuart Highway, connecting South Australia and the Northern Territory
Northe ...
and Ian Botham. Willis took 899 first-class wickets overall, although from 1975 onwards he bowled with constant pain, having had surgery on both knees. He nevertheless continued to find success, taking a Test career-best eight wickets for 43 runs in the 1981 Ashes series against Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, one of the all-time best Test bowling performances. He was a ''Wisden
''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', or simply ''Wisden'', colloquially the Bible of Cricket, is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom. The description "bible of cricket" was first used in the 1930s by Alec Waugh in a ...
'' Cricketer of the Year for 1978.
In addition to the Test arena, Willis played 64 One Day International
A One Day International (ODI) is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of overs, currently 50, with the game lasting up to 9 hours. The Cricket World C ...
matches for his country, taking 80 wickets, and was a prolific List-A
List A cricket is a classification of the limited-overs (one-day) form of the sport of cricket, with games lasting up to eight hours. List A cricket includes One Day International (ODI) matches and various domestic competitions in which the numbe ...
(one-day) cricketer with 421 wickets overall at 20.18. As a tail-ender, Willis made little impression with the bat, with a top Test score of 28 not-out (*); however, he managed two half-centuries at first-class level, and for a time held a record number of Test not-outs. Willis captained the England team in 18 Tests and 28 ODI matches between June 1982 and March 1984. Under Willis's captaincy England won seven, lost five and drew six Tests, and won 16 of the ODIs. Botham recalled Willis as "a tremendous trier.. a great team-man and an inspiration",Botham, p. 370. as well as the "only world-class fast bowler in my time as an England player".Botham, p. 376. The editor of ''Wisden'' wrote of him in similar terms: "His indomitable service to England is handsomely reflected in his great collection of Test wickets. Although often beset with aches and pains, he never spared himself when bowling for his country."
Retiring in 1984 during a Test series against the West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
, Willis found later work as a commentator with Sky Sports
Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
. He formed a noted commentary partnership with Botham; however, Willis' relatively low-key style, in contrast to Botham's ebullience, meant that from 2006 onwards Willis tended to be used as a second-string commentator. He remained an often-heard broadcaster, a published writer and an occasional critic of the modern game. On the occasion of England's 1000th Test in August 2018, he was named in the country's greatest Test XI by the ECB. The Bob Willis Trophy was established in the 2020 English cricket season
The 2020 English cricket season was originally scheduled to run between 2 April and 25 September. It was planned to have first-class, one-day and Twenty20 cricket competitions throughout England and Wales and as well as the launch of a new franc ...
in his honour. In June 2021, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame
The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame recognises "the achievements of the legends of the game from cricket's long and illustrious history". It was launched by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dubai on 2 January 2009, in association with the Fed ...
as one of the special inductees to mark the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship
The ICC World Test Championship is a league competition for Test cricket run by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which started on 1 August 2019. It is intended to be the premier championship for Test cricket. It is in line with the ...
final.
Early life
Willis was born in Sunderland,County Durham
County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly About North East E ...
, on 30 May 1949, and grew up in the Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
village of Stoke d'Abernon near Cobham, having moved there at the age of six. His father was an employee of the BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, of whom he was a fan. Willis was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford
The Royal Grammar School, Guildford (originally 'The Free School'), also known as the RGS, is a selective independent day school for boys in Guildford, Surrey in England. The school dates its founding to the death of Robert Beckingham in 1509 who ...
, playing his early cricket for Stoke d'Abernon Cricket Club, where he later became vice president and a Life Member, and two seasons for the Cobham Avorians. He was also an avid schoolboy footballer, but was not a natural athlete and loathed rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
, which was the school's dominant sport. Willis recalled in 2009 that during his school years "in the winter when the muscled brethren were playing, I used to play football with the school old boys. This taught me how to drink cider
Cider ( ) is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, ...
and vomit it up on Surbiton station, and other life-altering lessons." His bowling potential was rewarded with selection for Surrey Schools and Surrey Colts, under the directorship of Watcyn Evans, who would become a close friend.
Playing career
County debut
In 1968, Willis accepted an invitation to join Middlesex and Surrey Young Cricketers on tour in Pakistan, and used this opportunity to further hone his skills. Upon his return he made early appearances for Surrey's Second XI, his first being on 26 August againstWorcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...
's Seconds. Willis, 19 years of age, took one wicket for 48 runs in the first innings, and bowled four wicketless overs in the second. He was not called on to bat at all. Two days later, he faced Glamorgan and took three wickets. He played several further Second XI matches during May and June 1969, before his first-class debut on 6 August. Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
was touring England that season and had already beaten Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...
. Willis took three wickets for 13 runs from 13 overs in his first innings, and two for 37 in his second, to help Surrey to victory by an innings and 97 runs. Willis went on to take 22 first-class wickets that season at 17.22 from six matches, placing him 15th in the national averages for that season's County Championship. Surrey came third in the competition that year. Willis also played two List-A games, but took only one wicket at 52.00.
Willis had thus earned a second season at Surrey, and in 1970 played 14 Championship matches, taking 40 first-class wickets at 28.37, and 31 one day wickets at 14.65. Surrey came fifth in the Championship that year. He achieved a noteworthy performance in the Gillette Cup quarter-final against Middlesex. In a high-scoring match, Surrey made 280 for the loss of five wickets. Middlesex appeared to be coasting to victory when they reached 240–3, but Willis turned the game, and they collapsed and finished on 272–9. Willis took 6–49 in his 12 overs and won the Man of the Match award. Despite this, Surrey's preference for Geoff Arnold
Geoffrey Graham Arnold (born 3 September 1944) is an English cricketer who played 34 Test matches and 14 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team. His nickname of "Horse" was based on his initials of GG. He was a seam and swing bowl ...
and Robin Jackman
Robin David Jackman (13 August 1945 – 25 December 2020) was an English cricketer, who played in four Test matches and 15 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team between 1974 and 1983. He was a seam bowler and useful tail-end bats ...
kept Willis out of the side on occasions. He prepared to spend the winter employed at the Crystal Palace Recreation Centre while playing as a goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...
for local football club Cobham. However, Ray Illingworth
Raymond Illingworth CBE (8 June 1932 – 25 December 2021) was an English cricketer, cricket commentator and administrator. , he was one of only nine players to have taken 2,000 wickets and made 20,000 runs in first-class cricket.Arnold, Peter ...
and Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, (24 December 19324 December 2000) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Oxford University (1952–1954), Kent County Cricket Club (1950–1976) and England (1954–1975). Univers ...
, captain and vice captain of England's Test side, contacted him via telephone
A telephone is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into e ...
to ask him to travel to Australia and join the current England tour there. Willis, who knew that Illingworth and Cowdrey had little knowledge of his bowling, later credited his call-up to the influence of senior member of the touring party John Edrich
John Hugh Edrich, (21 June 1937 – 23 December 2020) was an English first-class cricketer who, during a career that ran from 1956 to 1978, was considered one of the best batsmen of his generation. Born in Blofield, Norfolk, Edrich came from a ...
, Willis' long-term friend, mentor and Surrey teammate.
International beginnings
Willis joined England's 1970–71 tour of Australia as a replacement for the injured Alan Ward, and played several warm-up matches for theMarylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...
(MCC) in December. ''Wisden'' records that his "infectious enthusiasm and team spirit played no small part in Australia's downfall" as England won the Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. The term originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, '' The Sporting Times'', immediately after Australia's 1882 victory at The Oval, its first ...
in the subsequent Test series. Willis' first Test, on 9 January 1971 – the fourth Test of the series, played when the series stood level after two draws and an abandonment – saw him score 15 not out as England batted first and reached 332. In the Australian first innings he bowled an economical nine overs for 26 runs, while Derek Underwood
Derek Leslie Underwood (born 8 June 1945) is an English former international cricketer, and a former President of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
Through much of his career, Underwood was regarded as one of the best bowlers in Test cricket ...
took four wickets to reduce Australia to 236. Subsequently, an unbeaten 142 from Geoffrey Boycott
Sir Geoffrey Boycott (born 21 October 1940) is a former Test cricketer, who played cricket for Yorkshire and England. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's m ...
set Australia 416 to win. With John Snow routing Australia with 7/40, Willis was only given three overs to bowl on a pitch "without pace", but he managed to take his first Test wicket – Ashley Mallett
Ashley Alexander Mallett (13 July 1945 – 29 October 2021) was an Australian cricketer who played in 38 Tests and 9 One Day Internationals between 1968 and 1980. Until Nathan Lyon, he was Australia's most successful off spin bowler since World ...
, caught by Alan Knott
Alan Philip Eric Knott (born 9 April 1946) is a former cricketer who represented England at international level in both Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODI). Knott is widely regarded as one of the most eccentric characters in cricket and as ...
for six.
Willis remained in the team for the fifth Test at Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, and rewarded the selectors with 3/73 in the first innings and 1/42 in the second as the match was drawn. Of the final two matches, Willis took three wickets in the drawn Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
Test, and four more in the final match of the series, a victory at Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and as ...
which gave England a 2–0 series victory. Willis finished his first Test series with 12 wickets at 27.41, and had also taken several "crucial catches". He was retained for the second match of the two-Test series against New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
in Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
in March, in which he took two wickets.
Surrey to Warwickshire
Willis returned in early 1971 to help Surrey win the County Championship title that year. However, friction was developing between him and the club. During the season Willis took 31 Championship wickets at 28.83, but found himself unable to accept the contract offered to him by the club. Though the county was reluctant to lose him, Willis sought another club. He took two wickets in his final match for Surrey againstHampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
on 11 September 1971. After turning down Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
and Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
he signed for Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...
, for whom he had immediate success, with 25 wickets at 29.28, including one five-wicket haul
In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "five–for" or "fifer") occurs when a bowler takes five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded by critics as a notable achievement, equivalent to a century from a batsman.
Takin ...
(taking five wickets in one innings). Willis, who under rules then applying was banned from playing for his new county before July, helped Warwickshire win the 1972 Championship, thus achieving the unusual feat of winning the Championship in consecutive years with two different counties. In his final match of the season, he took 8/44 to demolish Derbyshire
Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...
. His new team won nine of their 20 matches, drew 11 and lost none. He was not selected for the 1972 Ashes series in England, and travelled to South Africa as part of Derrick Robins
Derrick Harold Robins (27 June 1914 – 3 May 2004) was an English cricketer and sports promoter, at one time chairman of Coventry City Football Club. He was born in Bexleyheath, Kent.
Robins played two matches for Warwickshire in 1947, but did ...
' invitation XI in January. On the tour Willis took 13 wickets from the six matches.
Willis spent part of the 1973 season injured with one of what would become several recurring complaints. He nevertheless managed 43 wickets in the Championship at 18.95, though his injury barred him from all but one Test against the West Indies cricket team
The West Indies cricket team, nicknamed the Windies, is a multi-national men's cricket team representing the mainly Commonwealth Caribbean, English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean region and administered by Cricket West I ...
. The West Indies amassed 652–8 declared. Willis took four wickets for 118 runs – career-best Test figures thus far – and was the last batsman standing as Vanburn Holder
Vanburn Alonzo Holder (born 10 October 1945) is a Barbadian former first-class cricketer who played in 40 Test matches and 12 One Day Internationals for the West Indies cricket team between 1969 and 1979. A fast-medium bowler, he bowled along ...
and Keith Boyce
Keith David Boyce (11 October 1943 – 11 October 1996) was a cricketer who played 21 Tests and 8 One Day Internationals for the West Indies between 1971 and 1976. He died from the effects of chronic cirrhosis of the liver, while sitting in a c ...
routed England for 233 and 193. He then made his ODI debut with two games against the touring side in September, taking 2/29 and scoring five not out as England took a one-wicket victory in the West Indies' first ever ODI match. He went wicketless and conceded 5.5 runs per over in the second, which the West Indies won by eight wickets.
West Indies, Indian subcontinent and Australia
Willis then travelled to theCaribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
as part of England's winter tour, in what ''Wisden'' described as an "automatic selection"; however, he was to struggle against the top Test side. In the first Test, on 2 February 1974, he took only one wicket, followed by three in the second, and one for a hundred runs in the final match. He was to struggle against the West Indies throughout his career. His bowling average against them ended at 36.34, whereas against no other team was it above 26.14.
Willis then returned to England, to face India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, playing in one Test against each. Against India he took 4/64 – a career best against that team – and made a Test best 24 with the bat. Pakistan toured in early August, and Willis featured in one Test. He took one wicket for 133 runs. He also played one ODI where he took one wicket caught and bowled as Pakistan achieved a seven wicket victory. At this point, Willis was suffering from a recurring back injury. He played 13 Championship games for Warwickshire during the 1974 season, taking 44 wickets at 21.56 including one five-wicket haul. In November, Willis touring Australia during the 1974/75 Ashes series, playing in five Test matches. He took 17 Test wickets at 30.70, including a best of 5/42, out of 26 first-class wickets at 31.19 overall. He was, however, playing with growing injury concerns which required several painkilling injections.
Injury and operation
Willis returned to England in January 1975 with a recurring knee injury which had caused him to collapse at a county game early that season, and underwent several operations to correct it. He had surgery on both knees, and suffered a post-operativeblood clot
A thrombus (plural thrombi), colloquially called a blood clot, is the final product of the blood coagulation step in hemostasis. There are two components to a thrombus: aggregated platelets and red blood cells that form a plug, and a mesh of ...
. He was forced to use crutches for most of the season, and reflected in 1978 that it was "similar to a 50,000-mile service". His recovery was particularly tortuous, requiring daily runs around the cricket field and an intensive gym program under the supervision of Dr. Arthur Jackson, an advocate of slow running therapy to build stamina. He played no part in the international arena in 1975, and managed only four first-class appearances, though these returned a healthy 18 wickets at 18.77. He was not to return to the Test game until 1976, where he faced the West Indies in two matches in July and August.
That year, he had made a comfortable return to the county game from injury – taking 16 Championship wickets at 26.12. He had also scored a career best 43 with the bat. After coming fit from injury, Willis was brought into the squad for the fourth Test against the West Indies on 22 July as part of wholesale bowling changes that saw Brian Close, Edrich, Mike Hendrick
Michael Hendrick (22 October 1948 – 26 July 2021) was an English cricketer, who played in thirty Tests and twenty-two One Day Internationals for England from 1973 to 1981. He played for Derbyshire from 1969 to 1981, and for Nottinghamshire f ...
, Mike Selvey
Michael Walter William Selvey (born 25 April 1948), known as Mike Selvey, is an English former Test and county cricketer, and now a cricket writer and commentator. Selvey played in three Tests for England in 1976 and 1977. His county cricket co ...
and Pat Pocock
Patrick Ian Pocock (born 24 September 1946) is a Welsh former cricketer, who played in 25 Test matches and one One Day International for the England cricket team between 1968 and 1985.
The cricket correspondent Colin Bateman opined, "The sel ...
replaced with John Snow, Ward, Bob Woolmer
Robert Andrew Woolmer (14 May 1948 – 18 March 2007) was an English cricket coach, cricketer, and a Sportscaster, commentator. He played in 19 Test cricket, Test matches and six One Day Internationals for the England cricket team and later coach ...
, David Steele and Willis. He took three wickets for 71 runs and then a five-wicket haul in the second innings. This both gave him career best figures and took him past 50 Test wickets. His last four wickets fell in 24 balls at the cost of three runs, described by ''Wisden'' as a "fine piece of fast bowling". Tony Greig
Anthony William Greig (6 October 194629 December 2012) was a South African-born Test cricket captain turned commentator. Greig qualified to play for the England cricket team by virtue of his Scottish parentage. He was a tall () all-rounder w ...
's England, however, struggled to make any impression on the West Indies through the series, Viv Richards
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards (born 7 March 1952) is an Antiguan retired cricketer who represented the West Indies cricket team between 1974 and 1991. Batting generally at number three in a dominant West Indies side, Richards is widely ...
dominating with 829 runs across the series. Willis could only take one further wicket in the fifth and final Test, which the tourists won easily. By this time Willis, whose injury troubles were continuing, turned down a coaching opportunity in South Africa in order to not risk his fitness, and went on the dole
Dole may refer to:
Places
* Dole, Ceredigion, Wales
* Dole, Idrija, Slovenia
* Dole, Jura, France
** Arrondissement of Dole
* Dole (Kladanj), a village at the entity line of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina-Republika Srpska
* Dole, Ljubušk ...
.
Revival in India and the 1977 Ashes
Over the winter of 1976/77, England toured India in a five Test series through December to February, and it proved to be a revival for Willis. ''Wisden'' recorded the India tour to be the time when he "put to flight any who doubted his right to be acclaimed as one of the world's foremost fast bowlers". Willis took 32 wickets for 15.09 across the entire tour, 20 of those in the Test matches for 16.75. He took five for 27 in the second Test, and then six for 53 in the fourth – earning him career best Test figures thus far, and taking him past 400 first-class wickets. Four of his wickets came in four overs with the second new ball, "although he received no help from the pitch". ''Wisden'' record that "His 20 wickets in the series stamped Willis as a bowler of genuine pace and in-disputable class."
The 1977 Ashes took place across five Tests between June and August that year, in all of which Willis featured. Preceding them were three ODI fixtures, across which Willis took a total of five wickets at 15.80. The first Test took place on 16 June, at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and ...
. Australia, batting second and looking to take a lead over England's 216 all out, were dismantled by Willis who returned a career-best 7/78. After a century from Woolmer, Australia fell to 114/6 with two more wickets to Willis before the match ended as a draw. Willis' "hostile speed" gained praise in giving "Australia a real fright". Wills took four more wickets in the second Test to aid Underwood in restricting Australia's totals and giving England a nine wicket victory, and was "fast and accurate" in the third Test for his five-wicket haul, the match in which Botham made his debut. Willis went wicketless in England's innings victory in the fourth Test, however he took another five-for in the final match, including both Australian openers. His 27 wickets across the series was a record for an England fast bowler facing Australia in England, and his final wicket of the series was his 100th. Around these Test matches, Willis also made 10 County Championship appearances, netting 29 wickets at 19.41. This included a haul of 8/32 against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean.
The county town is the city of Gl ...
on 20 August, which would remain his best first-class figures for his career.
The year ended with Willis on winter tour to Pakistan and New Zealand. Willis dismissed seven Pakistani batsmen for 27.14 runs each, though did not appear in any of the ODI matches. In New Zealand he took a further 14 wickets at 18.21, including 5/32 in the first Test. In the second innings of the second Test of this series, Willis, by now England vice-captain, was involved in a notorious incident in which Ian Botham - apparently on Willis's recommendation - intentionally ran out captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Geoff Boycott
Sir Geoffrey Boycott (born 21 October 1940) is a former Test cricketer, who played cricket for Yorkshire and England. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's m ...
in order to assist the team in pressing for a result. England indeed went on to win the match, Willis taking 4/14 in the second innings.
''Wisden'' Cricketer of the Year – 1978
Willis made 10 Championship appearances in the 1978 season, taking 37 wickets at 18.27. He was also third in the national averages for theBenson and Hedges Cup
The Benson & Hedges Cup was a one-day cricket competition for first-class counties in England and Wales that was held from 1972 to 2002, one of cricket's longest sponsorship deals.
It was the third major one-day competition established in Engla ...
that year, with 16 wickets at 6.75, including four wickets for four runs in one innings. That year also saw Pakistan and New Zealand return to tour England between June and August. Though Botham took Man of the Series for his 13 wickets (in addition to scoring two centuries with the bat), Willis also netted 13 Pakistani batsmen for 17.92, including a five-wicket haul in the second Test. He also earned a Man of the Match award for his 4/15 in the first ODI. In the second ODI Willis captained England in an international for the first time because of an injury to Geoff Boycott
Sir Geoffrey Boycott (born 21 October 1940) is a former Test cricketer, who played cricket for Yorkshire and England. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's m ...
. He was however also involved with a controversy regarding the growing practice of short-pitched bowling at tailend
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batters play through their team's innings, there always being two batters taking part at any one time. All eleven players in a team are required to bat if the innings is completed (i.e., if ...
batsman after Iqbal Qasim
Mohammad Iqbal Qasim ( ur, محمد اقبال قاسم; born 6 August 1953) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 50 Test matches and 15 One Day Internationals between 1976 and 1988.
Qasim ended his career with 171 wickets in his 50 ...
was forced to retire hurt after being hit by one of his deliveries in the first Test at Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
. Against New Zealand, Willis took 12 Test wickets at 19.08, and passed 150 career Test wickets with his 4/16 in the third Test.
''Wisden'' noted Willis' achievements against Australia in 1977, stating that "the new-ball fire power of Bob Willis, which yielded 27 wickets, was of special significance in England's high summer of success. No England bowler of authentic speed can boast a comparable record in a home series against Australia". In continued: "It was singularly appropriate that team and personal triumph should go hand in hand, for few players have given such loyal and unstinted service to England as the wholehearted Willis... Happily determination is one virtue Willis does not lack, and his re-emergence as a top ranking fast bowler was well and truly deserved." Across all first-class matches that year, Willis had taken 65 wickets at 18.41, the most of any season of his career. His 35 List-A wickets was also the second highest he would achieve for a season behind the 45 of 1983. ''Wisden'' also praised him for refusing to partake in Kerry Packer's World Series cricket
World Series Cricket (WSC) was a commercial professional cricket competition staged between 1977 and 1979 which was organised by Kerry Packer and his Australian television network, Nine Network. WSC ran in commercial competition to establish ...
, and proclaimed him a Wisden Cricketer of the Year
The ''Wisden'' Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season". The award began in 1889 with the naming ...
along with Botham, Hendrick, Alan Jones and Ken McEwan.
1978–79 Ashes
In the winter of 1978/79, Willis travelled to Australia for that season'sAshes series
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. The term originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, ''The Sporting Times'', immediately after Australia's 1882 victory at The Oval, its first Te ...
, which England won 5–1 against an Australian team depleted by the rebel Packer tour. The tour commenced with four first-class fixtures against South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
, New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
and Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
. Willis then bowled 1,123 deliveries during the Test series, taking 20 wickets at 23.05. In the first Test on 1 December 1978, he took 4/44 and 3/69 in a seven-wicket England win. He then took 5/44 in the second match on 15 December, as England secured a 2:0 lead with a 166 run victory, and following an abandoned ODI match on Boxing Day failed to take a wicket as Australia won the third Test to bring the series to 2:1.
The fourth Test followed on 6 January, and England took a 93-run victory with two wickets to Willis, before a repeat of the first ODI was attempted and again abandoned after 7.2 overs. England then played three first-class matches before a second ODI on 24 January. Australia, batting first, were routed for 101 all out by Hendrick and Botham, Willis bowling a wicketless but economic spell of eight overs for 15 runs and four maidens. England reached the target with seven wickets to spare. In the fifth Test that followed, Willis picked up 3/41 in Australia's second innings, however with the bat he made 24 from 20 balls, with three fours and a six. With this cameo knock, he both surpassed his previous best Test score, and passed 1,500 first-class runs.
In the sixth and final Test, England took a nine wicket victory to seal the series convincingly 5−1. Willis took 1/48 and managed to hit 10 runs with the bat. Willis "struck early and decisive blows" through the series, although struggled for rhythm between the second and fifth Tests, whereupon he "suddenly regained his fire and rhythm". In all first-class fixtures of the tour, Willis had taken 34 wickets at 20.47, though this was the third highest average of the England bowlers. His tail-end batting had netted him 115 runs at 12.77.
1979 World Cup
In 1979, England hosted theCricket World Cup
The Cricket World Cup (officially known as ICC Men's Cricket World Cup) is the international championship of One Day International (ODI) cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), e ...
. The host nation played a 13-man squad: captain Mike Brearley
John Michael Brearley (born 28 April 1942) is a retired English first-class cricketer who captained Cambridge University, Middlesex, and England.
He captained the international side in 31 of his 39 Test matches, winning 18 and losing only 4 ...
,
Botham, Geoffrey Boycott
Sir Geoffrey Boycott (born 21 October 1940) is a former Test cricketer, who played cricket for Yorkshire and England. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's m ...
, Phil Edmonds
Philippe-Henri Edmonds (born 8 March 1951) is a former cricketer who represented England at international level and Middlesex at county level. After retiring he became a successful, albeit controversial, corporate executive.
Edmonds played mo ...
, Graham Gooch
Graham Alan Gooch, (born 23 July 1953) is a former English first-class cricketer who captained Essex and England. He was one of the most successful international batsmen of his generation, and through a career spanning from 1973 until 2000, h ...
, David Gower
David Ivon Gower (born 1 April 1957) is an English cricket commentator and former cricketer who was captain of the England cricket team during the 1980s. Described as one of the most stylish left-handed batsmen of his era, Gower played 117 Te ...
, Hendrick, Wayne Larkins
Wayne Larkins (born 22 November 1953) is an English former cricketer, who represented Northamptonshire, Durham and Bedfordshire as an opening batsman throughout his career. He was selected to play for England as Graham Gooch's opening partner ...
, Geoff Miller
Geoffrey Miller, (born 8 September 1952) is an English former cricketer, who played in 34 Test matches and 25 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team between 1976 and 1984. He played for Derbyshire from 1973 to 1986, captaining t ...
, Chris Old
Chris Old (born Christopher Middleton Old, 22 December 1948) is a former English cricketer, who played 46 Tests and 32 ODIs from 1972 to 1981. A right-arm fast-medium bowler and lower order left-handed batsman, Old was a key feature of the Yorks ...
, Derek Randall
Derek William Randall (born 24 February 1951) is an English former cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire, and Tests and ODIs for England in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Known to cricketing colleagues and fans as "A ...
, Bob Taylor ( wk) and Willis. England, who had no warm-up games, played their first match against Australia on 9 June at Lord's, whom they "breezed" past. Willis took one wicket for 20 runs from his 11 overs, surpassed by Boycott – who would be an unlikely bowling hero during the tournament – who took 2/15. Reduced to chasing 159, England proceeded slowly, with Brearley's 44 coming from 147 balls, and they reached the target at 47.1 overs. Their next game, against Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, saw the visiting team routed for 45 with Willis taking 4/11 and Man of the Match Old taking 4/8. Boycott and Gooch finished the game within 13.5 overs. England's final Group A match on 16 June saw them defeat Pakistan by 14 runs. Willis hit three fours in his 24 from 37 balls to help England to 165/9, and his one wicket for 37 runs, along with Boycott's 2/14, helped England keep Pakistan from the target.
England thus qualified for the semi-finals against New Zealand. Willis managed to chip one run from his two balls as England reached 221/8, and then took a single wicket to keep New Zealand to 212. During the match, however, Willis fell to injury. He had left the field before the end of the match with a recurrence of his knee injury and was ruled out of the final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
, which England lost to the West Indies. Though he missed the final, Willis took seven wickets across the whole competition at 15.57 runs each – placing him fifth in bowling average across all the teams, and his economy rate of 2.44 runs an over was the fourth best.
Willis followed his recuperation from injury by playing the first, third and fourth Test matches against India, taking 10 wickets at 29.80. Between his international appearances, he struggled with nine Championship wickets at 42.00, as Warwickshire came fifteenth in the country.
1980, Australia and the West Indies
The winter of 1979/80 and the followed summer saw difficult tours for Willis: the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup and a Test tour in Australia followed by a home series against the West Indies. Willis partook in all seven of England's matches for the World Series Cup, however he struggled with six wickets at 41.00. England did secure the highest number of points however they were beaten in both finals by the West Indies. In the midst of these matches, England and Australia played three Test matches in which Willis took only 3 wickets at 74.66, going wicketless in third Test. In the county front, however, his position at Warwickshire was reaffirmed as he was appointed county captain. Two ODI matches back in England commenced the West Indies tour, with Willis being included only in the team for the second match, here he took two wickets and two catches in a three-wicket England victory. Wills then faced the West Indies Test team across four matches, the first on 5 June. He took four wickets for 82 runs in the first innings, and five in the second – passing 650 first-class wickets in the process though the Man of the Match award was given to Andy Roberts' 5/72 and 3/57, the West Indies winning by two wickets. The second Test was a draw, though Willis collected three wickets. He only managed 1/99 in the third match, however, and equalled his Test best score of 24 with the bat in the fourth Test atthe Oval
The Oval, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since ...
, passing 500 Test runs in the process, and helping to save a test match which had appeared lost by sharing in an unbroken last-wicket partnership of 117 with Peter Willey
Peter Willey (born 6 December 1949) is a former English cricketer, who played as a right-handed batsman and right-arm offbreak bowler. In and out of the England team, he interrupted his international career for three years by taking part in the ...
. The West Indies nonetheless secured a 1:0 series victory. Willis had marked his improved form with 14 wickets at 29.07, and had fared better in the County Championship that year, taking 27 wickets at 31.70. He had also taken 23 one day wickets that season at 25.95, and had the satisfaction in his first season as captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of leading his county to victory in the John Player League
The NatWest Pro40 League was a one-day cricket league for first-class cricket counties in England and Wales. It was inaugurated in 1999, but was essentially the old Sunday League retitled to reflect large numbers of matches being played on days ...
, only a year after they had finished at the foot of the table in the same tournament.
1981 Ashes
Australia arrived in England for the 51st Ashes series in 1981. Willis, who was selected to play in all six Test matches, came into the series on a run of good county form. He had played four county matches, commencing with 5/61 againstYorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
on 6 May, and 3/58 against Lancashire on 10 June. The first Test took place at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge Cricket Ground is a cricket ground mostly used for Test, One-Day International and county cricket located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England, just across the River Trent from the city of Nottingham. Trent Bridge is also ...
, Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
, on 18 June. England, batting first, were cut down for 185 all out thanks to four wickets for Terry Alderman
Terence Michael Alderman (born 12 June 1956) is a former Australia cricket team, Australian international cricketer who played primarily as a right-arm fast-medium bowler.
He began his first-class cricket career in 1974 with Western Australia i ...
and three a-piece for Dennis Lillee
Dennis Keith Lillee, (born 18 July 1949) is Australian retired cricketer rated as the "outstanding fast bowler of his generation".
and Rodney Hogg
Rodney Malcolm Hogg (born 5 March 1951) is a former Victorian, South Australian and Australian cricketer. He was a fast bowler. Hogg played in 38 Test matches and 71 One Day Internationals between 1978 and 1985. In Tests he took 123 wickets ...
. Only Mike Gatting
Michael William Gatting (born 6 June 1957) is an English former cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Middlesex (1975–1998; captain 1983–1997) and for England from 1977 to 1995, captaining the national side in twenty-three Test ma ...
passed fifty, and Willis was dismissed for a first-ball duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...
. Willis, however, combined with Dilley, Hendrick and Botham to reduce Australia to 179 all out, with three wickets for Willis. England could not take advantage, however, as Lillee and Alderman shared the host nation's ten wickets equally between them to leave Australia only 132 to win. Dilley took four wickets and Willis snatched Graeme Wood for eight to reach 200 Test wickets, however the tourists won the match with four wickets to spare.
Between the first and second Tests, Willis went back to Warwickshire to face Gloucestershire in a County Championship match, grabbing three wickets. He returned to face Australia on 2 July for the second Test, and England batting first. Thanks to 82 from Peter Willey
Peter Willey (born 6 December 1949) is a former English cricketer, who played as a right-handed batsman and right-arm offbreak bowler. In and out of the England team, he interrupted his international career for three years by taking part in the ...
, and a second half-century from Gatting, together with five runs from Willis, England reached 311 – though Geoff Lawson took seven wickets. Australia surpassed this and were dismissed for 345, with three wickets for Willis and three for Dilley. The England bowlers suffered from no balls, Willis alone bowling 28. England declared late in the game on 265/8, and Willis picked up another wicket as Australia reached 90/4 at the close of play. Botham, who had captained the side until then, was sacked and replaced by Brearley. Willis, who was struggling for fitness and had a chest infection, was dropped from the side. He sat out a Warwickshire county match and after speaking to Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser (4 July 1918 – 4 April 2010) was a professional English cricketer, primarily a medium-fast bowler. He is widely regarded as one of the best English cricketers of the 20th century.
Bedser played first-class cricket fo ...
was given back his place in the team on the condition that he played in a 40-over match, played a Second XI game, and bowled 12 overs in the nets. He succeeded in these tasks, and was tentatively let back into the squad over a spinner.
The third Test – Willis' 60th – came on 16 July, and England were able to level the series 1:1 thanks to Botham's Man of the Match performance (seven wickets, century and half century) and Willis's hostile bowling in the second innings. Willis bowled 30 wicketless overs in Australia's first innings, and made one run. As England followed on in their second innings he made only two with the bat, but these were part of a 37 run last wicket partnership with Botham. He then returned to bowl with Australia requiring 130 runs. At one point, England had been quoted at 500–1 to win the match. Willis began an "inspired" bowling performance, having requested to bowl downhill from the Kirkstall Lane end once Australia were 56/1. Trevor Chappell
Trevor Martin Chappell (born 12 October 1952) is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket. He played 3 tests and 20 One Day Internationals for Australia. He won the Sheffield Shi ...
, Kim Hughes
Kimberley John Hughes (born 26 January 1954) is a former cricketer who played for Western Australia, Natal and Australia. He captained Australia in 28 Test matches between 1979 and 1984 before captaining a rebel Australian team in a tour of ...
and Graham Yallop
Graham Neil Yallop (born 7 October 1952) is a former Australian international cricketer. Yallop played Test and One Day International cricket for the Australia national cricket team between 1976 and 1984, captaining the side briefly during the W ...
were caught by close fielders, while Rod Marsh
Rodney William Marsh (4 November 1947 – 4 March 2022) was an Australian professional cricketer who played as a wicketkeeper for the Australian national team.
Marsh had a Test career spanning from the 1970–71 to the 1983–84 Australian ...
and John Dyson were caught at fine leg and behind the wicket respectively trying to play the hook shot
In basketball, a hook shot is a play in which the offensive player, usually turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of the arm farther from the basket in an upward arc with a follow-through which ends ov ...
. Dennis Lillee
Dennis Keith Lillee, (born 18 July 1949) is Australian retired cricketer rated as the "outstanding fast bowler of his generation".
was caught from the only ball Willis pitched up. Then when Willis uprooted Ray Bright's middle stump Australia were bowled out for 111, losing by 18 runs. Willis took 8/43, his career best Test figures. Two of his victims had been out for zero, and three others for single figure scores. John Dyson had top-scored with 34 before Willis removed him. Willey recalled it as an "amazing spell" while ''Wisden'' called it "the most staggering bowling of his life when his place again seemed threatened".
England then moved into the fourth Test 1:1 in the series. Again batting first, Alderman's five-for took England to 189 all out, with Willis making 13 runs. He then bowled a wicketless but "stormy" 19 overs "as if the devil were at his heels" and, after England had set Australia a final target of 151 runs, took two wickets which along with Botham's five-wicket haul dismissed the Australians for 121 and handed England a 29-run victory and a series lead. Willis played for his county against Middlesex between the fourth and fifth Tests, taking one wicket. He then rejoined his team for the fifth Test at Old Trafford
Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wemb ...
. England reached 231 thanks to partly to a "priceless" 56-run late partnership between Paul Allott (52) and Willis (11) before Willis then led the bowling attack with four wickets to restrict Australia to 130 all out. Another century from Botham took England to 404, setting the tourists 506 runs to win. Yallop and Allan Border
Allan Robert Border (born 27 July 1955) is an Australian cricket commentator and former international cricketer. A batsman, Border was for many years the captain of the Australian team. His playing nickname was "A.B.". He played 156 Test ma ...
both scored centuries, however three wickets for Willis and two for Paul Allott, Botham and John Emburey
John Ernest Emburey (born 20 August 1952) is a former English first-class cricketer who played for Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Western Province, Berkshire and England.
According to cricket writer Colin Bateman, Emburey's participation in two S ...
dismissed them for 402, 103 runs short of victory.
Willis continued to enjoy some form with the bat with 33* against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
in the interval between the fifth and final Tests, though he went wicketless. On 27 August, Australia and England met for the sixth Test at the Oval
The Oval, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since ...
. The tourists reached 352 thanks to a century from Border, while Willis took four wickets and Botham six. A century from Boycott then defied Lillee's seven wicket haul to take England to 314, and in reply Hendrick and Botham took four wickets each to set their team a target of 383 runs to win while Willis went without a wicket in the second innings. With half-centuries from Gatting and Brearley, England reached 261 before the match ended as a draw. England were victorious in the series 3:1, and Botham's efforts led to it being unofficially referred to as 'Botham's Ashes'.
Willis meanwhile, travelled to India with England in November 1981 for a six Test series against India and one against Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. He took 12 wickets at 31.75 against India, and three more Test and two wickets ODI against Sri Lanka. Between these international fixtures, Willis had secured 13 County Championship wickets at 28.55, though Warwickshire came bottom of the table.
England captaincy
Willis began the 1982 county season with five County Championship fixtures, featuring his first half-century with the bat, a career-best 72, while leading Warwickshire against the touring Indian side on 9 May. He also took two wickets. He also reached his 750th first-class wickets with his 2/71 against Yorkshire on 19 May. India were scheduled to play three Tests and two ODI matches that tour; however, before the matches began, the England selectors dropped Fletcher, the captain. Willis, though seen as an unlikely candidate and ambivalent towards the role, was awarded the captaincy. On 2 June, the new captain faced India as part of the England ODI squad, taking two wickets and effecting a run-out with the help of Botham, who also took four wickets. England restricted India to 193 and achieved victory by nine wickets. The second ODI match followed two days later, and England also won – this time by 114 runs with Willis taking 1/10 from seven overs. With two victories under his belt, Willis led his team to the first Test on 10 June. Batting first, he hit a career-best 28 runs in a last-wicket partnership with Allott (41) worth 70 – an England record against India – which took the hosts to 433 all out. Willis then set about taking apart the Indian batting line-up with 3/41 and 6/101 to leave England 65 runs to chase, which they reached for the loss of three wickets. ''Wisden'' described Willis as "bowling near his fastest" and he took his 250th Test wicket during the match. Willis took two further wickets in the second Test; however, centuries from Botham andSandeep Patil
Sandeep Patil ( ; born 18 August 1956) is a former Indian cricketer, Indian national age group cricket manager and former Kenya national team coach, who guided the underdogs to the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup. He was a hard-hitting midd ...
, who hit Willis for 24 runs in an over, ensured large innings scores that pushed the match to a draw. Botham followed with his career-best 208 in the third match to take England to 594 all out, and Willis then took 3/78 to keep India to 410. He then declared England's second innings at 191 to leave India 376 to win, and collected the wicket of Ravi Shastri
Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri (born 27 May 1962) is the former head coach of the India national cricket team, a cricket commentator and former captain of Indian Cricket Team. As a player, he played for the India national cricket team between 19 ...
before India closed out the final day with 111/3. Willis thus completed his first Test series in victorious fashion, with 15 Test wickets of his own at 22.00. In 1982 Willis also led England to a 2–1 victory in a tight Test series against Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, equalling his highest Test score with an innings of 28 not out in the first Test, sharing in a last-wicket stand with Bob Taylor of 79. Willis was absent for the second Test, which England (captained by David Gower
David Ivon Gower (born 1 April 1957) is an English cricket commentator and former cricketer who was captain of the England cricket team during the 1980s. Described as one of the most stylish left-handed batsmen of his era, Gower played 117 Te ...
) lost, before returning for the tense third Test. Willis was available for only three more first-class games that season, and finished it with a total of 24 wickets at 35.08. In 1982 Willis also captained Warwickshire to the final of the NatWest Trophy
The Friends Provident Trophy was a one-day cricket competition in the United Kingdom.
It was one of the four tournaments in which the eighteen first-class counties competed each season. They were joined by teams from Scotland and Ireland. La ...
, although they lost the final heavily to his former county Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
. He promptly travelled to Australia to lead England in the 1982-83 Ashes.
Over the winter of 1982/83, England's winning Ashes team travelled to Australia under Willis' captaincy. Willis took two three-wicket hauls in two warm-up first-class matches; however, he was absent from two others and Botham took over the captaincy. By now, continuing injury problems were beginning to plague the ageing bowler's body. He took 3/95 in the first Test as Australia reached 424 in reply to England's first innings 411, of which Willis had made 26. Derek Randall
Derek William Randall (born 24 February 1951) is an English former cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire, and Tests and ODIs for England in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Known to cricketing colleagues and fans as "A ...
's century in England's second innings took them to 358, and Australia reached 73 at the close of play on the final day for the loss of two wickets, both of which were taken by Willis, leaving the match drawn. Willis picked up 5/66 in the second Test; however, Australia easily reached a low fourth innings target to go 1–0 up. The third Test followed a similar pattern, with England replying with two low scores in the face of Australia's first innings 438, and Australia taking an eight-wicket win to take a 2–0 lead in the series, despite Willis' three wickets. England achieved what was then the narrowest Ashes victory margin of three runs in the fourth Test at Melbourne, with Willis taking three wickets. Willis commentated on the game that "You never give up and you never think it has gone." The fifth match ended in a draw, so Australia won the series 2–1. Across the entire tour, Willis took 28 first-class wickets. In the following World Series Cup between England, Australia and New Zealand, England were knocked out despite 14 wickets for Willis at 21.14.
Willis returned to Warwickshire for the 1983 season, struggling in the county season with 21 wickets at 36.76 in the County Championship, though finding more success in the one day arena with a career-best 45 wickets at 16.24. He captained England in the 1983 Cricket World Cup where England reached the semi-finals where they were defeated by eventual winners India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. He also led England in a four Test series against New Zealand, finding greater success with 20 wickets at 13.65 including a five-wicket haul. This, coming in the second Test, took Willis past 850 first-class wickets and 300 Test wickets. England won the series convincingly 3:1, and returned to New Zealand over the winter. In the drawn first Test, Willis overtook Fred Trueman
Frederick Sewards Trueman, (6 February 1931 – 1 July 2006) was an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the England cricket team. He had professional status and later became an author and broadcaster.
Acknowled ...
's record England tally of 307 Test wickets when he dismissed Lance Cairns
Bernard Lance Cairns (born 10 October 1949) is a former all-rounder who played for the New Zealand cricket team, and is the father of New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns.
He was also known for the unusual bat he played with throughout much of h ...
in the first innings. England lost the second Test by an innings despite 4/51 from Willis. With the third Test ending as a draw, England lost the series. Willis, with increasing physical and mental weariness and now using hypnotherapy to reduce stress and focus his game, took three wickets in the following ODI series, in which England beat New Zealand 2:1.
England played a three-Test series against Pakistan in early 1984, however Willis was unable to contribute more than two wickets in the first match due to injury. He made only five County Championship appearances, taking only nine wickets at 42.22. Willis, with pressure mounting due to injury and poor performances by the England team, was sacked as captain before the upcoming Test series against the West Indies, and replaced by Gower.
As a captain, Willis subsequently received a mixed assessment. Botham retained fond memories of Willis the player, but remarked that Willis found it difficult to captain him because the men were of similar age.Botham p. 141. Willis, often noted for his enthusiasm, became an "effective motivator" as a captain; however, he was "no outstanding tactical genius" and "towards the end his feelings bordered on disgust at the conviction that some of England's cricketers accepted failure too readily. Nor was he able to close himself off against media comment." He was also characterised as a loner in the game, and a reluctant captain grateful to be placed back within the ranks after repeated defeats while he was at the reins. His 18 Tests as England captain saw 7 victories, 5 defeats, and 6 draws, while he led England in 29 ODI matches, winning 16 and losing 13.
Willis played in the next Test series against the West Indies, taking two wickets in the first two matches. and before the last match played against Derbyshire for his county, taking three wickets. Willis took to the field on 12 July for the third Test and took only two wickets for 123 runs as the West Indies, particularly Michael Holding
Michael Anthony Holding (born 16 February 1954) is a Jamaican former cricketer and commentator who played for the West Indies cricket team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pace bowlers in cricket history, he was nicknamed "Whispering Dea ...
, "hammered" his bowling – Holding hit 59 from 55 deliveries. Willis conceded 40 more runs from eight overs in the second innings, which ''Wisden'' referred to as "the death throes" of his career. He announced his retirement from all cricket immediately after England's defeat, though leading Warwickshire in one last major event a few days later, the 1984 Benson & Hedges Cup
The 1984 Benson & Hedges Cup was the thirteenth edition of cricket's Benson & Hedges Cup.
The competition was won by Lancashire County Cricket Club.
Fixtures and results Group stage Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Quarter-finals
...
final at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and ...
, in which they were defeated by Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
.
He finished his career with 325 Test wickets, at the time second only to Dennis Lillee
Dennis Keith Lillee, (born 18 July 1949) is Australian retired cricketer rated as the "outstanding fast bowler of his generation".
, and 899 wickets in all first-class matches. Only James Anderson James Anderson may refer to:
Arts
*James Anderson (American actor) (1921–1969), American actor
*James Anderson (author) (1936–2007), British mystery writer
*James Anderson (English actor) (born 1980), British actor
* James Anderson (filmmaker) ...
, Ian Botham, and Stuart Broad
Stuart may refer to:
Names
*Stuart (name), a given name and surname (and list of people with the name) Automobile
* Stuart (automobile)
Places
Australia Generally
*Stuart Highway, connecting South Australia and the Northern Territory
Northe ...
have since surpassed his number of Test wickets for England. Willis also retains the world record for most Test wickets without a single 10-wicket haul
Commentary
After retiring from playing cricket, Willis established himself as a television commentator on Sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In the field of astronomy, ...
. Willis appeared on BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
's cricket coverage between 1985 and 1987 as a summariser before joining Sky Sports
Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
in 1990. When Botham joined the Sky commentary team, Willis was often in partnership with him in the commentary box. Willis' "laconic style did not suit all" and he was dropped from the "front-line commentary duties". He also appeared on David Tomlinson
David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson (7 May 1917 – 24 June 2000) was an English stage, film, and television actor and comedian. Having been described as both a leading man and a character actor, he is primarily remembered for his roles as authorit ...
's '' This Is Your Life'' in 1991, ''A Question of Sport
''Question of Sport'' (previously ''A Question of Sport'') is a British television sports quiz show produced and broadcast by the BBC. It is the "world's longest running TV sports quiz". Following a pilot episode in December 1968, broadcast on ...
'' in 2004 and '' 20 to 1'' in 2005.
Willis worked for Sky Sports, largely commentating in the county game, where he was vocal on the need for changes in English cricket, particularly through a group of former players known as the Cricket Reform Group. He was critical of Mike Atherton
Michael Andrew Atherton (born 23 March 1968) is a broadcaster, journalist and a former England international first-class cricketer. A right-handed opening batsman for Lancashire and England, and occasional leg-break bowler, he achieved the ca ...
during the England tour of Zimbabwe in 1997. In 2006, he criticised the then England coach Duncan Fletcher
Duncan Andrew Gwynne Fletcher (born 27 September 1948) is a Zimbabwean cricket coach and former cricketer, who has coached the England and Indian national teams.
He was England coach between 1999 and 2007, and is credited with the resurgence ...
's practices, England's performance in the 2006-07 Ashes, and was vocal in calling for the retirement of out-of-form national captain Michael Vaughan
Michael Paul Vaughan (born 29 October 1974) is an English cricket commentator and former cricketer who played all forms of the game. He served as England captain for the test team from 2003 to 2008, the one-day international team from 200 ...
in 2008.
Willis attracted detractors due to his somewhat melancholic style. ''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' commentated on the 1995 Texaco Trophy
The Texaco Trophy was the name used for One Day International cricket tournaments held in England from 1984 until 1998.
The series were sponsored by American oil company Texaco replacing the previous sponsorship by the UK's Prudential (between 1 ...
that Willis had "trenchant content, dismal delivery. As a player Willis had trouble getting to sleep. As a commentator he struggles to stay awake. His voice remains on one note – the drone of your neighbour's mower." CricInfo's launching of two polls on cricket commentary both returned negative views of Willis' "hyper-critical" commentary. Willis received only 15% of the vote, above only Dermot Reeve and Allott.
In later years, after he was sidelined as a front-line commentator, Willis appeared on Sky's The Verdict with Charles Colville and was still working for Sky until a few months before his death. "On Sky Sports Cricket's The Verdict show, Bob would deliver assessments of players and teams every bit as brutal as his genuinely rapid bowling once was. In his later years, his role was that of the fire and brimstone preacher, dishing out ferocious tongue-lashings to cricketers, umpires and administrators alike."
Personal life
Willis married his first wife, Juliet Smail in 1980. They had a daughter born in 1984. He married his second wife, Lauren Clark, in 2014. Although born in Sunderland, Willis lived inManchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
as a youngster, and was a keen supporter of Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club are an English football club based in Manchester that competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton), they became Ardwick Association Football ...
, having first attended a match at Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England, that was home to Manchester City F.C. from 1923 to 2003. It hosted FA Cup semi-finals, the Charity Shield, a League Cup final and England matches. Maine Road's highest atte ...
in 1954, as well as seeing the 1955 FA Cup Final
The 1955 FA Cup Final was the 74th final of the FA Cup. It took place on 7 May 1955 at Wembley Stadium and was contested between Newcastle United and Manchester City.
Newcastle won the match 3–1, thus winning the FA Cup for the third time in ...
against Newcastle United.
Willis died on 4 December 2019, aged 70, "after a long illness". He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer three years previously. The Bob Willis Fund raises awareness of prostate cancer and money for research into the detection and diagnosis of it; Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
is an honorary patron.
See also
* List of international cricket five-wicket hauls by Bob WillisNotes
References
Websites * * * * Printed sources * * * * * * * * *External links
* *The Bob Willis Fund
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, Bob 1949 births 2019 deaths People educated at Royal Grammar School, Guildford England One Day International cricketers English cricketers of 1969 to 2000 England Test cricket captains Cricketers at the 1979 Cricket World Cup Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup Northerns cricketers Surrey cricketers Warwickshire cricketers Warwickshire cricket captains Wisden Cricketers of the Year English cricket commentators Members of the Order of the British Empire People from Stoke d'Abernon Cricketers from Sunderland Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers English footballers Cobham F.C. players Association football goalkeepers D. H. Robins' XI cricketers English cricketers Young England cricketers Deaths from prostate cancer Deaths from cancer in England England Test cricketers