New
Zealanders have always had an affection for Henry Blofeld, cricket commentator
and writer, bon vivant and good bloke.
There is a
public Blofeld, and a private one, and it has to be said his latest book,
Squeezing the Orange, opens up much more of the private side of Blofeld's life
and helps reveal who he is.
Squeezing the Orange by Henry
Blofeld. Published by Harper Sports
Much more of
his upbringing is described in what is advertised as a book about 'life's great
adventure' with some cricket too.
The two are
linked, as they always must be where Blofeld is concerned. His childhood and
boarding school experiences are dealt with in the under-stated way that has
become synonymous with his public image. But they are also revealing for the
way in which they demonstrate the way that cricket made Blofeld the man we know
today.
All manner
of health problems have afflicted him at various stages of his career, the
first involving an accident with a bus while riding his bike, an accident that
certainly denied him the chance to see how far his cricket career might take
him.
While it
seemed he might be destined for a career in the City, the financial heart of
Britain, he soon had other ideas and life as a cricket correspondent began,
with small steps and then, by putting himself in the position to take advantage,
at a much faster pace to the point where he became a figure as recognised as
any of the players he was commenting about.
New Zealand
in the West Indies in 1972 proved a significant step for him by opening up the
chance for the commentating that has most boosted his career. He later was a
regular member of the TVNZ commentary panel during some of the heady years of
New Zealand cricket when Richard Hadlee and cohorts were in their prime.
And, more
recently, his contact with the New Zealand audience has been maintained for
those who still catch BBC commentaries through the marvels of modern technology
which allow contests not previously available in New Zealand to be picked up
through internet radio.
Blofeld has
never been short of an opinion, as one would expect of such an attuned observer
of cricket, and his book on the Packer controversy remains a must-read for anyone
wanting to understand the issue and the passions it evoked. There are opinions
too, in his latest effort and it provides another reminder of why cricket is
such a fascinating game, not only for the action it can provide on the field,
but for the qualities demonstrated in so many ways on the periphery.
As you would
expect from its title, there is plenty of cricket 'juice' from Squeezing the
Orange.
