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Well said, nice tribute.

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A fitting tribute

Well said. Pretty much my memories of him too. Loved that wry humour - "We bowled Australia out in a day .... although they did score 721 runs."

Chortle.

Rest in Peace Boil!

I was brought up by my Father to stay in and occupy the crease like the "Boil"!!A dogged cricketer and a witty, accurate and warm commentator.God Blees, Trevor Bailey!!

Respectful farewell to former international test cricketer and TMS commentator Trevor Bailey. May he experience eternal bliss.



Dr. Cajetan Coelho

I remember often seeing Bailey batting and bowling as a small child in the 50s at the - now defunct - Leyton County Cricket Ground, in north east London. I particularly remember the shock and then euphoria of everyone in the crowd, when we witnessed Barnacle Bailey hitting a SIX! I sadly mourn this wonderful player and character..

A sad day indeed.

I saw Trevor Bailey play quite a few times, both for Essex and for England, but I can't recall any innings more "miraculous" than the 80 odd he scored in the partnership with Willie Watson in 1953. Memory plays tricks, of course, but I seem to remember going to school in the morning thinking we had lost - and returning in the afternoon to tune in to the astonishing news that we hadn't.

I remember him as a bustling bowler who looked hostile, even from the boundary. In the 1950s he was an automatic choice for his all-round capability. As EW Swanton wrote, "Bailey picks himself."

In the TMS commentary box, he was authority personified, both knowledgeable and frank. - I have a vague feeling it was he who consistently urged players to "bat sensibly." That's what he did - eyes always on the team task, not on any personal glory.

Although Trevor has had a good innings, it is in desperately sad circumstances that he leaves us and I have his family in my thoughts.

Players of his ilk are sadly a thing of the past and more is the pity. What a truly great player and servant of his country. A few people have alluded to his critical tendencies but in truth, just like his contemporary Fred Trueman, he was only basing his criticisms on what would have been acceptable during his own playing days. What would England give for a player of his calibre these days? Priceless. RIP

I started watching Trevor Bailey and Essex cricket in 1953, aged eight, at Chelmsford and later at the other Essex grounds. On the scorecard as T E Bailey, denoting his amateur status, he was known to the Essex supporters as "Windows" Bailey because he could hit the ball a long way threatening the safety of patients in Mens' Surgical in the Chelmsford and Essex Hospital.
Very sad way to go. I hope Mr Bailey will be remembered as just a bit swashbuckling. His batting was every bit as good and as aggressive as his batting - and fielding.

I remember Trevor Bailey as a very young man.

Not sure where this "boil" came from. In my circles at that time he was always known as "Barnicle Bailey".

Not sure who came up with the expression but for certain he earned the name as he stuck like no body else I have ever seen (including Geoff Boyacott)to his wicket.

Batting may have been painfully slow at times when England had problems but it was cricket with the highest concentration of effort & you could not afford to miss any ball bowled.

If you got the wicket of Trevor Bailey at any moment that England were in trouble you were hero status. He was just super glued to his wicket.

Well done Barnicle. RIP.

I'm terribly sorry to read of the death of Trevor Bailey, one of the all time greats of English cricket. When England were in dire straits batting against the Aussies or the Windies we would call out at home, "send for Bailey." There was always hope when he was at the crease.
I only saw him play a couple of times but I remember the first ball I saw him bowl, and he took the wicket of one of the best opening bats in the country.
I don know what will be read at his funeral, perhaps something along the lines of ....
"But his Captain's hand on his shoulder smote -- 'Play up! play up! and play the game!'"

Tragic news of Trevor Bailey today. I was also a cricket (and of course TMS) obsessed youngster in the 70's and remember so vividly hanging on the Boil's every word. Wasn't that nickname give by Johnners? Seem to remember him recalling Australian crowds barracking Trevor with "get on with it 'Boiley'..." as he dug in for another typically dogged innings. A couple of phrases I will never forget: "Dream time" when England had collapsed to something like 120-6 and a late order batsman was making his way to the crease. The challenge of such situations was exactly what he had loved as a player himself. And then I can still hear Trevor recalling the advice of one of his former Essex captains to a batsman asking how he should approach his innings...
"just play your shots, but don't get out !" chuckle, chuckle....
One of the real post-war England greats.

I can recall listening avidly to every ball I could on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Broadcasts of the Test Matches as a young kid in the 50's. Trevor Bailey was one of the many renowned England players there was in those days and is surely a true cricket legend. What status and character the players had in those days! My own favourite was Freddy Trueman but I loved them all. RIP.

A truly sad day. I can hear him now in the TMS box shouting 'Streaker!' in that unforgettable voice when a naked lady joined in the test match. Thank you 'Boil' you were always good value.

I gather that another legendary TMS commentator when asked about how he would best describe the art of radio commentary once said, that it was like painting a picture for someone blind. Well in Trevor Bailey we had a true Picaso! A great cricketer, a great commentator, a true ambassador for our game, he will be missed by all lovers of the game.

My love of cricket as a child came from my parents having TMS on incessantly in the house in the 1970s and 80s. TMS is the single biggest reason that I am a cricket obsessive today, and Trevor Bailey was and remains my all time favourite TMS summariser.

Bailey and Trueman used to tell it how it was, and God help any player who they felt wasn't up to it, or worse still, wasn't trying.

A sad, sad day

My favourite bit of Bailey's commentary came during Kapil Dev's astonishing assault on Eddie Hemmings' bowling at Lords in 1990. CMJ was on the mic with Trevor alongside, and after the second six, Bailey was urging Kapil to take a single. Next ball - wallop, six. CMJ was suitably admiring, as were the rest of the box, knowing that saving the follow on was only six runs away. 'Will he go for it again' mused CMJ, only for TB to comment, to much mirth, 'My own feeling is to go for the single now', but, after the guffaws had subsided, he added 'but I think he might go for another biggie'. CMJ then gently teased him by saying 'you didn't often go for four sixes in a row, Trevor'. After the fourth consecutive six went duly soaring out of the ground everyone on TMS, Trevor included, were fulsome in their praise. A fabulous piece of cricket beautifully augmented by superb, utterly memorable commentary.

I was lucky enough to be in Antigua in 1994 for the Lara 375 test match. It turned out that Trevor Bailey was staying at my hotel with his tour party. We were outside the hotel waiting for a taxi when he just invited us along and ushered us into his mini-bus with his party. He then arranged for us to meet up with him after the game for a lift back! What a gentleman, what a player and what a commentator.
Rest in peace Mr Bailey.

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A wonderful all-rounder, writer , radio summariser and Englishman, whose perceptiveness, articulacy and ready wit helped keep me riveted to TMS and his writing for many an hour.

As a boy I saw him bowl an orange to a bemused batsman at Scarborough Cricket festival while a brass band played in the corner of the ground.

He was an inspiration to many of us, and, with his tragic passing will be be deeply missed. Sincere condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace.

What a tragic end for a great English cricketer, son of Essex & broadcaster. As a small boy living in the Midlands in the late 50s early 60's. I used to stay with my Grandmother in Leytonstone for a week every summer.My Uncle an Essex member always took me to the County ground at Leyton if Essex were playing. One year I was taken into the members ding room to have lunch . On the next table was TB who had a chat with me, noticed my autograph book said he wanted to borrow it, . Later a call came over the tanoy asking me to go into the pavilion and meet him where I was presented with my book back complete with autographs of both teams. Today I'm a member of the MCC and have had a lifelong love of the game, but that interest started 50 years or more ago nutured by by one of the great Gentlemen of cricket. R.I.P

What people often forget is that batting is a partnership and without the likes of Trevor Bailey the stroke makers of this world would not have a partner to entertain the crowd with.

R.I.P. Trevor Bailey

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Nice tribute and some nice comments as well. I only knew Trevor Bailey as a commentator but he was a hero to my Dad and my Uncle for his efforts with England and our beloved Essex. It is a real shame that the obituary on this website is such a woeful piece of work, maybe it could be mentioned to whoever dashed it off that the death of a great cricketer is probably not the time to try and pull off whimsical comedy at his expense.

I was truly saddened to hear of the end of the Bailey innings, especially as it seems to have come about in such a tragic manner - he deserved better luck.

A fine cricketer - I didn't see him play very often as my first remembered watching of cricket came towards the end of his international career, but I have his autograph ,and I recall being impressed by his determination and devotion to the team.
Later, his radio work was first class - he usually had something sensible to say and didn't rabbit on for the sake of it as some have been known to do...he will be missed.
Rest in peace.

RIP Trevor Bailey. A truly tragic way to pass away.

The 'trenchent', 'truculent' but always fair and articulate Boil was my favourite summariser during one's formative TMS listening throughout the 80s.

Sadly, I never saw him play, but I've listened to him for years, and always enjoyed listening to "The Boil"

Wonderful memories of Trevor Bailey, Alec Bedser and the terrible twins Lock and Laker. The 1953 ashes victory was particularly welcome after the incident in Australia when Bedser had clearly caught and bowled Bradman but the Don refused to walk and the umpire let him get away with it. Great days and some great cricket.

A great man has exited the planet! How fleeting is our time, how sweet or bitter the memories!

A splendid cricketer and a splendid man of cricket. I've read many of his books and remember his radio work and he came over as being a true lover of the game, both respectful and proud of cricket in the past and of the time he played but also recognising and respecting how the game had changed since he retired from playing. The story about the six in the Brisbane Test in 1954-55 is typical of Bailey's humour (.

All sympathies to his family and friends.

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Trevor Bailey will be sadly missed. A great cricketer and an excellent commentator. I imagine his thoughts on candyfloss 2020 cricket and the relentless overdose of meaningless ODIs would have been similar to my own. Why "The Boil" ? I recall reading in the Playfair Cricket Monthly that a Swiss radio commentator describing an amateur football match in which he was playing mispronounced Bailey as Boiley. No doubt Jonners pounced on that one and he became The Boil thereafter. RIP.

I am 65 years old and still live in Southend. I watched Trevor Bailey at Southchurch Park with the Essex team. At the time he used to live in Reviera Drive and I went to school with his Daughter at 10 years old in 56. I always listened to TMS, only them days we had it on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ 2 all day and I used to get home from school to watch it till 6-30. If I had to play with my mates, my mum would keep me updated wih the score from the window, great days, great memories, Trevor Bailey R.I.P.

I am based in Singapore. It is very frustrating having no access to TMS commentary for non UK based matches. I hope this will not be the case for the World Cup. However your new podcast system is a life saver. Please consider putting a podcast out with the Trevor Bailey lookback programme you are planning. If no World Cup commentary access is possible, could you put out the Agnew / Boycott podcast for England matches as you do in the UK.

trevor, like your australian equivilent you put as much thought and
passion into your radio as your effort on the cricket field.
the top order of all rounders is where you stand.R.I.P.

T.A.W.

poor fellah.

anyone else find the tms link visuals unfortunate, in the circumstances?

I deepy mourn the tragic death of TEB. I as a schoolboy enjoyed TMS thorughly during the 80's and alongwith the late BJ formed a formidable pair in the TMS box. My heartfelt condolences to his family.

Good Bye Trevor

RIP

Nanda Kishore
Chennai, India

His voice along with the likes of Brian Johnston and Fred Trueman were part of my "growing up". I particularly remember his often used expression that somebody had played "very sensibly" which somehow gained in my mind a meaning all of its own. RIP