Perth: Bill Lawry, the legendary Channel 9 commentator, is slated to retire from the commentary box after a 35-year stint with broadcasting. The Sydney Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka from January 3 to 7 will be his last as a commentator.
Lawry began his commentary career during Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in 1977, and went to become one of the most respected and cherished voices in the world of television broadcasting.
He combined with Tony Greig, Richie Benaud and Mark Taylor to dish out forthright and snappy insights about the game to viewers and listeners across the world. The 75-year-old is renowned for his boundless exuberance and vibrant baritone. Some of his signature phrases like “Got him, yes!” and “Oh dear, oh dear” were widely emulated and became a part of cricketing parlance.
Lawry, a gritty left-hand batsman, played 67 Tests and scored 5234 runs at 47.15. He made his debut in 1961 and his top score of 210 came against West Indies. He was inducted into Australian Cricket’s Hall of Fame for his fine services to Australian cricket.