Fighter Bailey was a precise commentator, says Farokh Engineer

Updated on: 11 February,2011 08:54 AM IST |
Clayton Murzello | clayton@mid-day.com

Former England all-rounder Trevor Bailey, who passed away yesterday, played 61 Tests in his 1949 to 1959 career, but none against India for some reason

Former England all-rounder Trevor Bailey, who passed away yesterday, played 61 Tests in his 1949 to 1959 career, but none against India for some reason. However, he witnessed Indian cricket's finest hour in the one-day format when Kapil Dev's men shocked the West Indies in the World Cup final at Lord's in 1983, according to fellow BBC commentator Farokh Engineer, the erstwhile India stumper. Bailey (87) died in a fire at his home in Essex yesterday. Firefighters could only manage to rescue his wife, Greta.

"Trevor was a very precise commentator, who was known to criticise only when it was absolutely needed," Engineer told MiD DAY from his home in Lancashire yesterday.

"He was a very serious man and his cricket was the same. He was the Bapu Nadkarni of English cricket ufffd very reliable and dogged; nothing flamboyant about Trevor, but he was a lovely man. It is very sad to see a great man go like this."

Bailey was nicknamed 'Barnacle' for his ability to play in adversity.

At Lord's in 1953, he batted for four-and-a-half hours to deny Australia victory. The draw helped England regain the Ashes.

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