AT THE HEART OF ENGLISH CRICKET
The life and memories of
Geoffrey Howard
Stephen Chalke
Geoffrey Howard
was one of
cricket’s finest administrators, and at the age of 92 he looks back with
insight and humour on his long involvement with the game.
He
was the manager in Australia when Len Hutton overcame inner gremlins to lead
England to one of its greatest triumphs.
He
was the manager in Pakistan when the high-spirited drenching of an umpire led
to a diplomatic crisis.
He
was the secretary at Old Trafford when the pitch was prepared for the Test in
which Jim Laker took 19 wickets.
He
was the secretary at The Oval when the telephone call came from South Africa,
following Basil d’Oliveira’s century.
He
played in the long-lost world of London business house cricket in the 1920s,
and he introduced pop concerts to The Oval in the 1970s.
This is a fascinating and unusual volume.
The
time span and the range of his memories, coupled with his wisdom and humanity,
make him a valuable witness and a delightful companion.