Dear Editor,
Tony Cozier, the voice of West Indies cricket is silenced. This renowned son of Barbados and by extension the Caribbean started his career in the early ‘60s and quickly rose among the ranks of sports broadcasters.
In a day and age when radio ruled, Cozier was crowned king of audio commentary. Although, he was briefly rivalled by Guyana’s Reds Perreira, he held his own and set the standard for sports broadcasting in the Caribbean.
His words and style of delivery helped enthusiasts from far flung corners of the cricketing world conjure images of live action on the many holy grounds of the gentleman sport. Painting vivid pictures with his words, Cozier mesmerized, captivated and educated generations upon generations of fans with the many intricacies of the game and then more.
From the building up, the trickling in of the crowd, describing the characters, the players, the greenery, the pitch, the weather, the field positions the blowing action, the batting stance to the delivery and stroke of the last ball, Tony Cozier was always fresh, positive and focused. He knew his task was to reach out to those who were miles away. He was their eyes and ears. He made it feel as if one was in the stands watching the game live and in person, hearing the smack of leather against the willow, and savouring the changing scents of the grass as the sun traversed its course.
The transition to television did not faze him. He continued to spread his knowledge and love of the game and would become the senior sports broadcaster, taking the mantle from Richie Benaud and his other peers.
He seemed indefatigable. There was his audio broadcasts, live colour commentary and added to that, his written articles in innumerable magazines, journals, newspapers and regular contributions as a member of the Cricinfo team. Cricket was his passion, his life, his existence.
A tireless champion for West Indies cricket, up until very recently he penned valuable opinion pieces on the state of affairs in cricket in the region. In particular, his frustration with the present and past administrations was glaring and like so many inside and outside the region, he longed for a day when West Indies cricket would return to its former glory.
Sadly, Tony Cozier has passed away without witnessing a repeat of the fever and greatness of the ʼ70s and ‘80s when the boys in maroon ruled cricket.
Thanks for the memories Tony. Rest in peace!
Yours faithfully,
Jay Mobeen
