RIP Bob Willis

[Guided Missile]

Legendary fast bowler. Can't believe it....

[saint1977]

Very sad news. Conflicting reports of longer term or shorter passing from cancer. Great bowler and commentator. How many great genuinely fast bowlers have England produced post war of any duration?

 

Truman, Willis were pretty much throughout, Harmison and Flintoff were for spells in their career. Gough was very good, in the sharp category. Anderson and Broad brilliant bowlers, not express although Broad can get up towards 90mph. Statham before my time, superb bowler but like Jimmy quick but not express. Tyson my dad saw bowl and very quick, probably England’s fastest but not a long career. Larwood obviously pre war very rapid eg Bodyline.

 

Also captained the side in the early 80s at a difficult time post SA rebel tours. Very brave resistance of injuries especially to his knees.

 

Bright guy, very dry humour, will much missed on the cricket scene.

[Toadhall Saint]

RIP bob

[badgerx16]

I remember Alvin Kallicharan bowling towards the end of a drawn test and doing an impression of BW - he started his run up on the pavillion steps, and ran in like a doglegged golf fairway.

[Tamesaint]

Very sad news.

[OldNick]

Another gone, dry sense of humour and a sad loss RIP

[norwaysaint]

I didn't really get into cricket until 87/88, so I missed his era. I've always felt he was a bit hard done by though. I know Botham led the comeback in the famous test, but where his score was very good, Willis' figures of 8/43 (I think) to bowl out a strong side for 111 is absolutely astonishing. Yet the match is always known as the Botham test. Botham set up the opportunity, but Willis won it against the odds.