• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Thoughts on Geoffrey Boycott?

Dazinho

School Boy/Girl Captain
Hiya - I've seen a few documentaries, read a couple of books about Geoffrey and perhaps the polite term would be to state that he polarised opinion.

He's associated with a particular style of 'old school batting' that was hardly fun to watch and not always the most popular with former team mates and people associated with teams he played for. There are also one or two 'personal episodes' in his life that will cause some to dislike the man. Understood.

Something I remember seeing though was that the young Boycott had a sort of 'breakout innings' in a one day final in the 1960s where, after a slow start akin to that you might associate him with, he proceeded to smash the ball to old parts en route to a match-winning 146 not out (or something like that). I've noticed that there's not a huge amount of footage of him batting on Youtube etc...which might be to do with his style, but from what I've seen it's clear that Geoffrey had all the shots if he wanted to use them. You don't have the success in the sport that he did without tremendous ability.

So...a couple of questions I'd appreciate your thoughts on if poss. Thanks in advance.

1) are there any really 'fun' Boycott knocks to watch that might cause a re-appraisal of him as a batsman? He struck me as someone who played how he played, regardless of the match situation - but said match situation may call for quick runs, playing some shots etc. And he had all the shots to do so, no question.

2) given that ability is there any particular reason why Geoff went about his work in the particular style he did? I often think with more defence-minded batsmen that it's a case of mental toughness triumphing over perhaps having slightly less, albeit some, natural talent (Atherton and Cook would be the modern analogies, certainly in terms of English batsmen). Am I over-stating Geoff's ability here?

Bit of a random thread but not seen much about him on here so thought I'd ask the question. Thanks.
 

Dazinho

School Boy/Girl Captain
Think he fell in love with himself from a very young age.
It's hard not to get 'narcissism vibes' off Boycott sometimes Not going to argue with that.

It's struck me in many walks of life how many 'ultra driven' people tend not to be great when it comes to dealing with people socially. Perhaps they're better suited to individual sports than team ones? Geoff must have known he wasn't universally liked and that might have fueled what seemed to be an obsession with not getting out at any cost, i.e. to keep getting picked for the teams he was in.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I've never met Sir Geoffrey, but have spoken to him on the phone and interacted with him a good deal on social media and have always found him friendly, approachable and hugely entertaining - that said he was 80 when I first spoke to him, so I suspect he's mellowed
 
Last edited:

Yeoman

U19 Captain
His playing career was before my time watching cricket however I read the biography by Leo McKinstry which I thought was fair and even handed and gave a good portrait.
As the OP mentions, he could bat in more attacking vein however this appears to have been mostly in the early part of his career From when little footage survives. By the 1980s he was increasingly stodgy.
Some writers say that he deliberately played within himself given the pressure that he was under as the chief batsmen in often failing sides. Others say the opposite, that he performed above his natural ability level by supreme dedication to the art of batting.
His commentary, with which I am more familiar, is I think a fair reflection of his personality. His technical analysis could be superb however he clearly had limited people skills. Many of the problems atYorkshire in the 70s and 80s stemmed from making him captain, for which he was clearly not suited.
Simon Hughes in one of his books commented that he mellowed significantly as he aged and after his health scares.
 

Dazinho

School Boy/Girl Captain
His playing career was before my time watching cricket however I read the biography by Leo McKinstry which I thought was fair and even handed and gave a good portrait.
As the OP mentions, he could bat in more attacking vein however this appears to have been mostly in the early part of his career From when little footage survives. By the 1980s he was increasingly stodgy.
Some writers say that he deliberately played within himself given the pressure that he was under as the chief batsmen in often failing sides. Others say the opposite, that he performed above his natural ability level by supreme dedication to the art of batting.
His commentary, with which I am more familiar, is I think a fair reflection of his personality. His technical analysis could be superb however he clearly had limited people skills. Many of the problems atYorkshire in the 80s and 90s stemmed from making him captain, for which he was clearly not suited.
Simon Hughes in one of his books commented that he mellowed significantly as he aged and after his health scares.
Thanks to everyone who posted, but appreciate this greatly. Thanks.

I don't think captaincy was for him, his people skills were not the best as you say and he probably had the 'great player' problem of not being able to relate to merely good (let alone average) ones.

He does seem to have mellowed as he got older and no doubt his health problems gave a different perspective on life.

Also amazes me how long he played for, he was well into his 40s when he packed in circa 1986?
 

Yeoman

U19 Captain
Yes, retired in 1986 when he was 46. The phrase ‘complex character’ is over-used however it certainly applies to him and there were many different aspects to his personality which came across at different times to different people. One can even see him as a figure from classical drama - his focus and dedication built himself up from a fairly. modest background to great status and fame however he always sought more recognition, particularly in the field of leadership and here his virtues became flaws and brought things crashing down around him.
 

Dazinho

School Boy/Girl Captain
Yes, retired in 1986 when he was 46. The phrase ‘complex character’ is over-used however it certainly applies to him and there were many different aspects to his personality which came across at different times to different people. One can even see him as a figure from classical drama - his focus and dedication built himself up from a fairly. modest background to great status and fame however he always sought more recognition, particularly in the field of leadership and here his virtues became flaws and brought things crashing down around him.
Yeah you get the feeling Geoff is a complex personality for sure. Reminds me of an old boss of mine who grew up from nothing on a farm, did great for himself but 'people skills' went missing in the process. He could have mad a good vice-captain funnily enough with his head for the game and a better 'people person' as the captain above him.
 

peterhrt

U19 Vice-Captain
As mentioned earlier in the thread, the McKinstry biography is a reasonable start point although the author was not granted any interviews.

The book claims that Boycott was a late developer with limited natural talent. Through determination, courage, a shrewd cricket brain and obsession with net practice, he developed what was considered the best defensive technique of his day. He rarely accelerated but played the hook shot, which sometimes cost him his wicket.

At his peak during the 1970s Boycott was rated, at least by English writers, ahead of the likes of Gavaskar and Greenidge. That didn't last and most now rank him below them. (Although Geoff Armstrong now has him above Greenidge and also ahead of Sehwag, Simpson, Hayden and Gooch).
 
Last edited:

Coronis

International Coach
As mentioned earlier in the thread, the McKinstry biography is a reasonable start point although the author was not granted any interviews.

The book claims that Boycott was a late developer with limited natural talent. Through determination, courage, a shrewd cricket brain and obsession with net practice, he developed what was considered the best defensive technique of his day. He rarely accelerated but played the hook shot, which sometimes cost him his wicket.

At his peak during the 1970s Boycott was rated, at least by English writers, ahead of the likes of Gavaskar and Greenidge. That didn't last and most now rank him below them. (Although Geoff Armstrong now has him above Greenidge and also ahead of Sehwag, Simpson, Hayden and Gooch).
Definitely one of the leading contenders for that 5th best test opener spot. Unfortunately he’ll never get near an ATG England XI considering 3 of the top 4 are Englishmen.
 

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
Good cricket mind doesn’t seem like the greatest of blokes but
This. Dunno him personally but the stuff about his personal side that has come out is not very good, is it?

A very good cricket analyst, color commentator and one of the great bats of test cricket.
 

number11

State Regular
Technically superb, a real hunger for runs. A very good bat but NOT a game winner. Scored too slowly, never [really] put opponents under pressure.
 

Ali TT

International Vice-Captain
I'm sure I read somewhere that he was a more free scoring player when younger but changed as he aged. He appears to have acted like he owed no one anything, which may not have been the wrong attitude to have in the circles of Yorkshire and England cricket at the time. I wasn't a fan of him as a commentator, too much "back in my day" and his personal behaviour put me off as well.

Can't knock his stats though - 8000 runs @48 as an opener and was pretty successful against all-comers and all places (except NZ) in an era of good bowling attacks.
 

Top