Bob Willis



Another of the game's great personalities gone.

I remember watching him on telly in '81 and thinking he, along with Graham Dilley, didn't get the full recognition he deserved at Headingley.

I can also remember creasing up a few years later when, at the end of a Test Match heading for a draw, Graham Gooch came on to bowl the last over and did a perfect impersonation of Big Bob, running in virtually from the boundary edge, arms flailing, head bobbing.

Imitation as the greatest form of flattery.

RIP Bob.
 
RIP Bob. His bowling was before my time but his work on the Verdict was genius.

I was at a talk in with Marcus North a couple of years ago and he said that when England had had a bad day Colville and Bob had a right time backstage before the show teeing up what he could rant about 😊.
 
He was part of one of sport's great moments and will always be remembered fondly. Will be greatly missed on the Debate. RIP Bob - a genuine hero when I was younger
 
RIP, a great bowler in his day and a forthright pundit.

My memories of him as a player go back to the early to mid 70’s where he had this angled run up that never worked and he never nailed down an England place, he went on an England tour (India I think around 76 or 77) with a changed run up and came back transformed as a great bowler.

Pretty shocked tbh, although Gower just said he’d had prostate cancer for a while but struggled through and kept working
 
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Big Dave 53 said:
I am gutted :( A massive loss to the cricket world and Sky will never replace him. A unique pundit. RIP Bob and thoughts with his family...
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Me too. Really gutted in fact.
He will be missed massively on the verdict and in this era of Politically correct commentary and hyperbole, his no nonsense style will be sorely missed by me.
As said his input was usually the one bright spot if and when we’d had a bad day on the pitch.
Terribly sad to go at 70, especially after looking well in the summer.
He always reminded me of my Grandad, another Sunderland lad. RIP.
 
Was shocked when I heard this, it doesn't seem 2 minutes since he was doing his punditry on Sky.
At times he carried the England attack on his own, a 100% committed player who never gave less than his best.
Underneath that dour exterior obviously lurked a mischievous, humorous personality loved by his colleagues, which is always the sign.
Loved his punditry, he pulled no punches.
He'll be greatly missed.
R.I.P. big fella.
 

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