A commentator often finds his role nearly erasing all that was accomplished earlier in life. The presence on television and a voice that highlights sporting glory, conjures up a fresh image. At times autographs are sought, while forgotten is the fact that perhaps within the suit and underneath that Brylcreem hair is a former player, probably a legend or a journeyman cricketer.
Take the case of Alan Wilkins, affable commentator at home with multiple sport, and often rubbing shoulders with the Sunil Gavaskars and Vijay Amritrajs. A query on what he did prior to being a narrator of sport, might draw a blank. Before romancing the microphone, Wilkins was a left-arm medium pacer, for Glamorgan and Gloucestershire. He also had stints in South Africa until an injury forced him to retire in 1983 and froze his wickets at 373 (First Class and List A).
In Easier Said Than Done , Wilkins dwells upon his days at Cardiff, of being an efficient left-armer without the menace of a Wasim Akram or a Mitchell Johnson, to his evolution as a commentator and a friend of all with just one skirmish involving the combustive Navjot Sidhu.
The book is a tale of Wilkins, the Welsh cricketer and sporadic rugby player, gradually losing his feet to Wilkins, the commentator steadily climbing the rungs. It also deals, almost like an after-thought, with two failed marriages. With a non-judgemental tone, Wilkins blames it on his penchant to being on the road for cricket while allowing the home’s warmth to wane. He loses a wife to another man but never does he blame anyone. Dignity seems innate to Wilkins and he finally found stability in wedlock, third time around.
The writing is to the point and there is dry humour, self-deprecating especially when he refers to his ‘boring’ half-centuries. There is wonder too at scalping Vivian Richards, Gavaskar and other greats. In the first part, Wilkins throws light on the effervescent spirit that used to light up county cricket: “Bright boys from Cambridge and Oxford Universities, not-so-bright boys straight from school, former insurance salesmen, former teachers, a few athletes, many non-athletes, smokers, drinkers, dreamers and nutters, English county cricket had them all. But it was fun.”
The tome focuses on the path Wilkins forged from Cardiff to his commentary stints in South Africa, with the BBC in Wales and London and then the tenure with ESPN Star Sports at Singapore, his current base. The script is often about a door shutting and another opening, thanks to his hard work and the goodwill of friends.
Easier Said Than Done ; Alan Wilkins, Roli Books, ₹595.
