Former England cricket captain David Gower, 64, shares the stories behind his favourite snaps

My life through a lens: Former England cricket captain David Gower, 64, shares the stories behind his favourite snaps

Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite photographs. This week it’s the turn of former England cricket captain David Gower, 64.

Former England cricket captain David Gower, 64 (pictured) shared the stories behind a selection of his favourite photographs

1960:  I was born in England but lived until I was six in what was then Tanganyika [now part of Tanzania], where my dad was a district commissioner and my mum a painter. I was an only child and this was taken on holiday in Kent. I wanted to become a game warden but ended up as a cricketer. My dad died in his 50s and my mum in her 60s – so only she saw me play for England.

1960:  I was born in England but lived until I was six in what was then Tanganyika [now part of Tanzania], where my dad was a district commissioner and my mum a painter. I was an only child and this was taken on holiday in Kent. I wanted to become a game warden but ended up as a cricketer. My dad died in his 50s and my mum in her 60s – so only she saw me play for England.

1977:  When I went to play for Leicestershire, Ray Illingworth [pictured] was captain and we had almost a father-and-son relationship. Ray’s job, as he put it, was to turn me from gifted amateur into gifted professional. He had a fearsome reputation as an Ashes-winning England captain – whatever he said went. I started on £25 a week, and played there for 15 years.

1977:  When I went to play for Leicestershire, Ray Illingworth [pictured] was captain and we had almost a father-and-son relationship. Ray’s job, as he put it, was to turn me from gifted amateur into gifted professional. He had a fearsome reputation as an Ashes-winning England captain – whatever he said went. I started on £25 a week, and played there for 15 years.

1983: Here I am giving Elton John a few tips on batting outside The Sebel Townhouse Hotel in Sydney, where a lot of musicians stayed, as did we while on tour for England. In the late 70s and 80s Elton seemed to be touring Australia every time we played cricket there. We’d watch him in concert, then go to an after party or dinner with him. He’s hugely good company and a natural entertainer on and off stage. Bob Willis, pictured with us, was captain of England before me. He died in 2019, and it was horribly sad to lose him.

1983: Here I am giving Elton John a few tips on batting outside The Sebel Townhouse Hotel in Sydney, where a lot of musicians stayed, as did we while on tour for England. In the late 70s and 80s Elton seemed to be touring Australia every time we played cricket there. We’d watch him in concert, then go to an after party or dinner with him. He’s hugely good company and a natural entertainer on and off stage. Bob Willis, pictured with us, was captain of England before me. He died in 2019, and it was horribly sad to lose him.

1985: Winning the Test series in India as England captain was one of the highlights of my career. We were a bunch of close-knit cricketers who pulled together and earned success after a series of tribulations. Indira Gandhi was assassinated on the day we arrived in India, then a month later Percy Norris, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Bombay, was assassinated too. No one knew if it was an anti-British thing, and some players were genuinely worried and felt we should go home. But the advice we got was that it was safe to carry on, so we sat tight in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Bombay before getting the tour underway again.

1985: Winning the Test series in India as England captain was one of the highlights of my career. We were a bunch of close-knit cricketers who pulled together and earned success after a series of tribulations. Indira Gandhi was assassinated on the day we arrived in India, then a month later Percy Norris, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Bombay, was assassinated too. No one knew if it was an anti-British thing, and some players were genuinely worried and felt we should go home. But the advice we got was that it was safe to carry on, so we sat tight in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Bombay before getting the tour underway again.

1991: During an England v Queensland game my teammate John Morris and I took a tour in a Tiger Moth plane [above] and flew low over the ground for fun. Management didn’t see the funny side and we were fined £1,000 each for ‘leaving the ground without permission’. I’d been playing really well, but then my form evaporated. I don’t regret it though!

1991: During an England v Queensland game my teammate John Morris and I took a tour in a Tiger Moth plane [above] and flew low over the ground for fun. Management didn’t see the funny side and we were fined £1,000 each for ‘leaving the ground without permission’. I’d been playing really well, but then my form evaporated. I don’t regret it though!

1992: This is me and my wife Thorunn at our wedding at Winchester Cathedral. She looked gorgeous. Ian Botham had arranged my stag night in the Channel Islands and nearly killed me. After dinner he thought it strange I was still standing and sorted that out with a large glass of kümmel liqueur, after which I lost consciousness! For lunch the next day Ian tucked into a massive steak and chips but I could just about manage a bread roll.

1992: This is me and my wife Thorunn at our wedding at Winchester Cathedral. She looked gorgeous. Ian Botham had arranged my stag night in the Channel Islands and nearly killed me. After dinner he thought it strange I was still standing and sorted that out with a large glass of kümmel liqueur, after which I lost consciousness! For lunch the next day Ian tucked into a massive steak and chips but I could just about manage a bread roll.

1994: The Queen came to see the South African cricket team’s first trip to England after nearly 30 years in sporting exile. They beat the Earl of Carnarvon’s XI, which I captained, at Highclere Castle. I sat with the Queen for a while – she’s got a sense of humour and I felt at ease in her company. At the time cricketers were starting to wear dark sunglasses in bright sunlight, and she asked if she could try mine on. I said, ‘Of course you can, Ma’am.’ The sunglasses were probably not quite her style!

1994: The Queen came to see the South African cricket team’s first trip to England after nearly 30 years in sporting exile. They beat the Earl of Carnarvon’s XI, which I captained, at Highclere Castle. I sat with the Queen for a while – she’s got a sense of humour and I felt at ease in her company. At the time cricketers were starting to wear dark sunglasses in bright sunlight, and she asked if she could try mine on. I said, ‘Of course you can, Ma’am.’ The sunglasses were probably not quite her style!

2000: They Think It’s All Over, the BBC1 sporting panel show, was a big hit. As team captains, Gary Lineker and I were the sportsmen whom the rest of the team could take the mickey out of. I got on very well with Rory McGrath [above, second from left], a very bright man who is not one to cross intellectually, and I see Nick Hancock [second from right] through The Lord’s Taverners, of which I’m president. I was on the show for eight years. It was great to be a part of and a shame when it really was all over.

2000: They Think It’s All Over, the BBC1 sporting panel show, was a big hit. As team captains, Gary Lineker and I were the sportsmen whom the rest of the team could take the mickey out of. I got on very well with Rory McGrath [above, second from left], a very bright man who is not one to cross intellectually, and I see Nick Hancock [second from right] through The Lord’s Taverners, of which I’m president. I was on the show for eight years. It was great to be a part of and a shame when it really was all over.

As told to Adeline Iziren. David Gower is ambassador for The Cricketer magazine celebrating its centenary year throughout 2021 (www.thecricketer.com) 

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