Commentator extraordinaire

TONY WAS NOTHING BUT THE BEST and must be seen as the No. 1 all-round cricket journalist of all time.

There is no real need for me to repeat all the great things that have been said about Tony since his passing, but it is important that I underscore the foundation and structure of his commentary.

No one could have been better prepared. He was the consummate professional for any cricket fixture, first-class or the highest level.

It is important that the radio commentators of the region, especially the young ones, continue using the Cozier format, catering for a changing radio audience, repeating the teams, the toss and the scorecard as it developed.

Commentators need to remember the manner in which he brought in the bowler, as he approached the umpire. 

Cozier would switch very quickly to the batsman, which allowed him to be two seconds ahead of the play and allowed him to describe the action of the batsman whether on the front or back foot.

Listeners got a clear indication of where the ball had gone whether it was cover, mid-on or mid-wicket, etcetera. Tony’s focus when on radio was to provide his listeners with the information necessary as he painted the picture.

These qualities will forever be remembered, as I was a part of it for 30 years. RIP, my friend.