John Arlott

Leslie Thomas John Arlott, (25 February 1914 – 14 December 1991) was an English journalist, author and cricket commentator for the BBC's Test Match Special. He was also a poet and wine connoisseur. With his poetic phraseology, he became a cricket commentator noted for his "wonderful gift for evoking cricketing moments" by the BBC.

Early life

John Arlott was born in 1914 at Cemetery Lodge, Chapel Hill, Basingstoke in Hampshire, the son of cemetery registrar William John Arlott and Nellie (née Jenvey-Clarke). in 1926 he watched England and Australia play at The Oval, becoming a fan of Jack Hobbs, and later watched Sussex play Lancashire. His friend David Rayvern Allen noted that it was there that "he discovered humanity in often dislocated forms, [which] was fundamental to his personal development." He also studied Russian language and military history at the library of Southampton University, wrote reports for his chief constable, gave lectures to students, wrote poetry, and took up boxing, at which he was quite proficient.

Broadcasting

BBC debut After being invited to make a public radio address to George VI on VE Day, 1945, he attracted the attention of the BBC,

He was asked by the Head of the BBC Overseas Service, Donald Stevenson, to commentate on the warm-up games of India's tour of England in 1946. When he retired in September 1980, he was the longest-serving TMS commentator, equalled by Brian Johnston in 1993 and subsequently exceeded by Christopher Martin-Jenkins.

Television commentary Arlott undertook some BBC television cricket commentary, between 1964 and 1968 featuring matches between various counties vs an International Cavaliers X1, which were played on Sundays with 25 overs per side and then primarily on the Sunday League from 1969 to 1980. These John Player Sunday League limited over fixtures were 40 overs a side and were usually played between 2.00 pm and 6.30 pm. Arlott commentated on the first 20 overs of each innings with Jim Laker usually covering the last 20. He also briefly wrote, directed and narrated a topical local series for the BBC called ABC of the South in the 1960s but radio was his true metier.

Commentating style "We've for a freaker down the wicket now, not very shapely and it's masculine. And I would think that it's seen the last of its cricket for the day... He's being embraced by a blond policeman, and this may be his last public appearance, but what a splendid one." He also had the advantage of a very distinctive voice. Frank Keating wrote of his "articulate, leisurely, confiding countryman's burr". Keating also compared his stature as a radio journalist with those of Richard Dimbleby and Alistair Cooke.

Final Test Match Arlott's final Test commentary was on the Centenary Test between England and Australia at Lord's in 1980. At the end of his last session on the final day (2 September), he concluded with his customary phrasing "nine runs off the over – 28 Boycott, 15 Gower, 69 for 2 – and after Trevor Bailey it will be Christopher Martin-Jenkins." At the end of the following over, a public address announcement that Arlott had completed his final commentary session prompted the crowd to give Arlott an ovation. The entire Australian team in the field and the two England batsmen joined in, with Geoffrey Boycott removing his batting gloves to applaud. Later that day, after the match ended in a draw, he came onto the Lord's balcony to present the Man of the Match award. When he appeared, the crowd below again burst into a spontaneous ovation that lasted for several minutes before he was finally able to speak and make the presentation to Kim Hughes.

Writer Arlott was a stylish writer, contributing regularly as a journalist and also writing the occasional hymn, of which the best-known is "God Whose Farm is All Creation", sung at harvest festival. Two others were "By the rutted roads we follow" for Plough Sunday and "We watched the winter turn its back" for Rogation. As his interest in wine developed he wrote two books on that subject; he also wrote poetry, considering his best poem to be the one dedicated to Sir Jack Hobbs on the latter's 70th birthday. Well-versed in cricket history, Arlott was often viewed as a leading authority, especially on the literature of the game. He wrote annual reviews of the year's cricket books for Wisden for every year from 1950 until 1992, except for 1979 and 1980. He also wrote a well received appreciation of Neville Cardus for the 1965 edition.

Biographical writings about Arlott

Basingstoke Boy: Autobiography, by John Arlott, published 1992. Arlott: The Authorised Biography, by David Rayvern Allen, published in 1993, won The Cricket Society Jubilee Literary Award. John Arlott, A Memoir, written by his son Tim Arlott, was published in 1994. Arlott, Swanton and the Soul of English Cricket, by Stephen Fay and David Kynaston, 2018. This is a joint biography with the other great English cricket writer of the period, E.W. Swanton. It compares and contrasts their different views about cricket and its place in the world.

Journalism His career in journalism began with the Evening News in 1950. In 1955 he switched to the News Chronicle, where he stayed until the paper folded in 1960. He began reporting football matches for The Observer in 1958. He also wrote occasional articles for The Times. Arlott joined The Guardian in 1968 as chief cricket correspondent, where he would stay until 1980. Arlott stopped covering soccer in 1977 after some violent post match incidents with hooligan fans.

Cricket Writers' Club He became an early member of the Cricket Writers' Club, founded in 1947, whose dinners in those days were lavish affairs and often held in liveried halls. Basil Easterbrook, chairman in 1965, recalled an attempt to ban drinking until after the AGM which normally preceded the annual dinner. "There was much noise, calls for order and the singing of a ribald chorus of 'On Rosenwater's doorstep, down Leytonstone way' to the tune of Mother Kelly. Irving Rosenwater was a leading member at that time and some of the club's elder statesmen were angry enough to walk out. John Arlott was the chairman at that meeting and, as was his custom, had taken the odd sip of wine. John tried hard to bring some order to the proceedings by banging the table with a spoon, but he missed the table."

Working abroad Ramchandra Guha, wrote about the interaction Arlott had with Vijay Merchant; he described Arlott's background with the "prejudices of a conventional British upbringing." In 1946, Arlott asked Merchant "whether in view of the ongoing sectarian violence, India really deserved independence. Should not the white man, he said, stay on to secure the peace?" Guha wrote that "...Friendship with Merchant broadened his social and political horizons". In 1948, he travelled to South Africa to cover the England cricket team's tour for the BBC, and openly voiced his distaste for the country's apartheid policy.

Other cricket involvement

D'Oliveira affair

Basil D'Oliveira was a South African who was classified as a Cape Coloured by the apartheid regime and consequently was ineligible to play first-class cricket. He wrote to Arlott in the late 1950s, after hearing his radio commentaries, because "his voice and the words he spoke convinced me he was a nice, compassionate man". He wanted help to find an opportunity to play professional cricket in England and Arlott finally got him a summer contract with Middleton Cricket Club in the Central Lancashire Cricket League in 1960. Arlott subsequently said that this was the achievement in his career of which he felt most proud. After topping the Central Lancashire League batting averages in his first season he subsequently graduated to the first-class county circuit with Worcestershire in 1964. D'Oliveira acquired British nationality the following year and was selected to play for England, making his Test debut against the West Indies at Lord's in June 1966.

During the 1968 Ashes series, D'Oliveira scored 158 on his recall to the England side in the 5th Test Match at The Oval, which seemed to make his selection for the winter tour to South Africa a certainty. However, when the touring side was announced he was controversially omitted amidst allegations of South African political interference with the selection committee. Arlott was incensed and condemned the selectors' decision in his press articles and publicly stated that he would not commentate on any matches involving the South African team during their scheduled tour of England in 1970. Arlott received support from many people over his uncompromising stand, including future England captain Mike Brearley, who called for the cessation of all South African tours, and the Reverend David Sheppard, who had been one of the first players to speak out against apartheid and who had also previously refused to play against the 1960 South African touring side. However, Arlott was subjected to some strong, not entirely unexpected, criticism from the English cricket establishment over his stance particularly by the former England captain Peter May, a Test selector, who wrote directly to him condemning the position that he had adopted.

When Tom Cartwright subsequently had to drop out of the touring side because of an injury, D'Oliveira was selected as his replacement, which led to the tour being cancelled by the South African government. The subsequent South African 1970 tour to England was also cancelled and they were then ostracised by the other Test playing countries. South Africa were then officially excluded from Test cricket for 21 years until they were reinstated by the ICC in 1991 following the South African government's legalisation of the ANC and the release of Nelson Mandela.

Cambridge Union Debate Following the cancellation of the 1968 England tour by the South African government, the Cambridge Union decided to hold a debate on the motion "That politics should not intrude on sporting contacts". Former England captain Ted Dexter was invited to propose the motion, seconded by veteran all-round sportsman Wilf Wooller who had skippered Glamorgan to their first county championship in 1948. Both of these ex-players were friends of Arlott. Opposing the motion were the incumbent minister for sport, Denis Howell, seconded by Arlott.

Arlott spoke passionately against the motion stating that "It is political commitment and political belief that can make a man think that his opponent's views are so obnoxious that he will abstain from playing any game with him as a protest against what the other man believes. Any man's political commitment, if it is deep enough, is his very personal philosophy and it governs his whole way of life, it governs his belief, and it certainly governs the people with whom he is prepared to mix." The motion was duly defeated by 334–160. Despite their opposing positions over the issue, Arlott was drinking with Wooller in the Cambridge Union Bar shortly after the debate had finished.

Arlott maintained his strong views on the issue and two years later he came to an unprecedented agreement with the BBC to be excused from commentating on the upcoming Test series against South Africa in England without prejudicing his future commentary role on Test matches against other touring teams in subsequent years. However, the British government subsequently cancelled the tour over public order concerns at each Test venue. A Rest of the World side, captained by Gary Sobers and including five South African team members, played a five-match 'Test' series instead, with Arlott rejoining the TMS commentary team to cover those matches.

Friendship with Ian Botham Ian Botham: "I met John when I was 17 and took his picnic basket up to the commentary box. There were four bottles of Beaujolais in that basket. Being a cider-boy I thought wine was a namby-pamby drink. But I was gripped as John started talking to me, this dumb yokel, about wine. His command of English just rolled off him. He got out some cheese and said this goes best with that wine. 'Go on,' he'd say, have a taste.' Our incredible friendship started and he became my mentor. These days they call 'em life-gurus or some such crap."

Botham also had a holiday home nearby in Alderney and during the last seven years of Arlott's life they often had two meals a day together when he was staying on the island. "At six minutes past nine every morning the phone would ring. John would say, 'C'mon over – and bring your thirst with you.' At the end when the emphysema took over and he was struggling with speech he had an oxygen mask and I often had to empty his bag for him. But he liked me being there because I knew to wait and let him finish his sentences between gasps. I didn't try to say the words for him because I knew how much they mattered. That was strange for me – to be patient and quiet. But I always wanted to listen to John."

Reviewing John Arlott: Cricket's Radical Voice, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 to mark the twentieth anniversary of his death, Gillian Reynolds wrote in The Daily Telegraph of "Arlott's independence, his Englishness, sense of fairness and justice, sympathy for the underdog and relish for the beautiful and the good".

Desert Island Discs Arlott was twice invited to appear on Desert Island Discs with Roy Plomley, in May 1953 and again in May 1975.

In May 1953 he selected: "Lord Lovel" by Robert Irwin; "Land of My Fathers" by Crowd at Wales V Ireland Rugby Match, 12 March 1949; "These Foolish Things" by Greta Keller; "The foggy, foggy dew" by Benjamin Britten; "Bella figlia dell'amore" (from Rigoletto) by Giuseppe Verdi; "Little Sir William" by Benjamin Britten; "In Dulci Jubilo" by Choir of King's College, Cambridge; Symphony No. 7 in A major by Ludwig van Beethoven; his luxury item was a second-hand bookshop. He was made a life member of the MCC in 1980.

Retirement and later life He retired as a cricket commentator at the end of the 1980 season. "The decision was freely taken; and although it was not easy to go, was a better choice than, one day, being told to go." Four days after the Centenary Test at Lord's ended in a draw, Arlott made his very last commentary, covering the Gillette Cup Final between Surrey and Middlesex for BBC Radio 3. and was buried in the island cemetery. Engraved on his headstone were two lines from one of his own poems (originally dedicated to Andrew Young): "So clear you see those timeless things, That, like a bird, the vision sings".

Memorial trust The Princess Royal, as President of the Rural Housing Trust, gave a reception at Buckingham Palace on 10 February 1993 to launch the John Arlott Memorial Trust in conjunction with the National Playing Fields Association. The trust was a tribute to Arlott's memory in creating a fund to provide affordable village housing and recreational areas in some of England's 8,000 villages and it is now a national charity chaired by former newscaster Sir Trevor McDonald. The annual charity dinner is sponsored by the Rioja Wine Exporters Group reflecting his great fondness for that particular wine.

New Alresford memorial Arlott had originally bought the former pub in New Alresford in 1961. It had originally been called The Sun Inn prior to its closure in 1958, but he renamed it The Old Sun. He completely renovated the interior, especially the large cellar for his collection of fine wine. He also became active in the local community becoming President of the newly founded Alresford Historical and Literary Society in 1966 until he relocated to Alderney 15 years later.

Subsequently, at a ceremony on 21 June 2009, a plaque commemorating his 20 years of living at the Old Sun between 1961 and 1981 was unveiled by his sons Tim and Robert Arlott. The plaque was funded by The Cricket Society and the guest of honour, who cut the ceremonial cake, was his oldest friend Leo Harrison (then 87). This was followed by an inaugural local village cricket competition, with participating teams from Tichborne, Old Alresford, Ropley and Cheriton, for the annual John Arlott Cup.

Memorable quotes by Arlott The Times newspaper in March 2006 published a list of 25 favourite sporting quotes – these two Arlottisms were included:

Bradman out for a duck: "Hollies pitches the ball up slowly and ... he's bowled... Bradman bowled Hollies, nought ... bowled Hollies nought ... and what do you say under these circumstances? I wonder if you see the ball very clearly in your last Test in England, on a ground where you've played some of the biggest cricket in your life and where the opposing side has just stood round you and given you three cheers, and the crowd has clapped you all the way to the wicket. I wonder if you see the ball at all." (1948)

We have a freaker: "We have got a freaker [sic] down the wicket now, not very shapely as it is masculine, and I would think it has seen the last of its cricket for the day ... he has had his load, he is being embraced by a blond policeman and this may well be his last public appearance – but what a splendid one!" (1975)

Other Arlott quotes: "Australianism' means single-minded determination to win – to win within the laws but, if necessary, to the last limit within them. It means where the 'impossible' is within the realm of what the human body can do, there are Australians who believe that they can do it – and who have succeeded often enough to make us wonder if anything is impossible to them. It means they have never lost a match – particularly a Test match – until the last run is scored or their last wicket down." (1949)

"I'm going while people are still asking me why I'm going rather than thinking why doesn't he go." (1980)

"In 1980, Trevor Bailey and the writer were largely responsible for a fresh cricket commentary noise, the popping of champagne corks. The senior men and BBC representatives......have all been temperate men, not teetotallers but as a rule disinclined to take wine – or any other alcoholic drink – during the course of the working day....Latterly though, Brian Johnston has been coaxed round by way of Pouilly Fume to the occasional hock and now, fizz. The others have required little persuasion." (1981)

"I owe almost everything to Neville. I remember reading 'The Summer Game' when I was in my teens. Suddenly, my eyes were opened to this semi-mythology of cricketers and always said to Neville that any success I had was due to the imaginative stimulus he gave me." – his view of Neville Cardus.

Memorable quotes about Arlott "The very personification of cricket." Prime Minister John Major, 1991

"He was cricket, there has never been a commentator like him and there never will be." Ian Botham, former England Captain, 1991

"I think that he spread the gospel about cricket around the world more than anyone else." Brian Johnston, fellow commentator, 1991

"A man of deep humanity." David Frith, editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly, 1992

"He was generous with his time in the company of friends. I once sat down to Sunday lunch with John, his family and some friends at two o'clock, and we did not get up from the table until ten at night." Mike Brearley, 1992

"Johnston provided the life, Arlott the soul." Paul Coupar writing about the history of TMS on its 50th anniversary 2007

Biographies Arlott: The Authorised Biography, by David Rayvern Allen, published in 1993, won The Cricket Society Jubilee Literary Award. A second biography, John Arlott, A Memoir, written by his son Tim Arlott, was published in 1994.