David Ivon Gower, a former captain of the England cricket team, was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. He spent much of his upbringing in Tanzania, but boarded in England at The King's School Canterbury where he was a talented Rugby Union player.
In 1975 he made his debut for Leicestershire County Cricket Club, for whom he played until 1989. From 1990 until 1993 he was with Hampshire.
Gower was an elegant left hand batsmen and has a reputation for being aloof, perhaps because of his privately educated background and upper-class accent and manner. Considered a graceful player, his laconic style was often misinterpreted as indifference and a lack of seriousness.
He made his debut in Test cricket in 1978, scoring a boundary from his first ball, bowled by Pakistan's Liaqat Ali and became, by the time of his retirement, the leading scorer in English history. The Ashes series of 1985 was a highlight of his career, with his own batting including three scores in excess of 150. Gower occasionally opened the innings, but was mainly a middle-order batsman.
Despite his casual reputation David Gower played a record 119 consecutive Test innings without a duck. He made six noughts in his first 73 innings (44 Tests between 1978 and 1982) but none in his next 66 matches. His only other nought came in the second innings at Melbourne in 1990-91 when England were chasing quick runs for victory. On a more whimsical note, he is one of the few bowlers in Test cricket to have been called for throwing.
Gower’s majestic 136 during the 1986 Perth test in the Ashes series
In 1987 Gower declined to play in that year's Cricket World Cup as he did not wish to travel, having been on nine successive winter tours since his debut. He never again declined an opportunity to play for England, however. Yet rumours that Gower lacked seriousness gained currency in 1989 when as England Captain he walked out of a press conference claiming he had tickets for the theatre. Most controversially, during the 1991 Ashes Tour in Australia England were playing a warm up match in Queensland when Gower decided to take another player (John Morris) for a joy ride in a Tiger Moth biplane without telling the England Team management. He was fined £1000 for the prank, a penalty that could have been steeper had he released the waterbombs he had also prepared. Gower added insult to injury by posing for press photographs with the planes the next day. England Captain Graham Gooch was enraged by the prank, as he was by Gower's mode of dismissal at a crucial stage of one of the Test matches. During the fourth Test at Adelaide, Gower walked out to the crease to the tune of Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. The last ball before lunch was bowled down the leg side to a leg trap, and all Gower needed to do was block. However, Gower flicked idly at the delivery (Gower was known for his flick shot to the leg side) and was caught at leg-slip. According to Michael Atherton in his autobiography, "Gooch was at the other end and as he walked off his face was thunderous". Gooch, it is widely believed, was instrumental in Gower being left out of the following tour of India. That selection decision prompted an extraordinary vote of no confidence in the selectors at the MCC, but it was to no avail as Gower was not included. He played one more season of county cricket for Hampshire, but in effect his international career was at a premature end at age 35, as England did not see fit to recall him during the 1993 Ashes series despite the heavy defeat they suffered and the threat posed by Shane Warne.
Since that time he has been a commentator throughout the world, and an advocate for endangered African wildlife. Perhaps the best summation of his batting talent comes from Clive Lloyd who noted that Gower would be an automatic selection in his West Indies team regardless. High praise indeed, and a recognition of a genuine match winner with the bat.
Since leaving the game, Gower has enjoyed a new career as a cricket broadcaster and television personality, including being one of the team captains on the popular BBC comedy sports quiz, They Think It's All Over from 1995 till 2003. He also presented four series of the BBC2 cricket magazine show, Gower's Cricket Monthly from 1995 - 1998 and, at the same time was one of the BBC's main cricket commentators. He is now the main presenter of international cricket coverage for Sky Sports and also commentates on the matches - a role he also plays in the video game Brian Lara International Cricket 2005. David was awarded the "Oldie Of The Year" award in 1993.
In 1975 he made his debut for Leicestershire County Cricket Club, for whom he played until 1989. From 1990 until 1993 he was with Hampshire.
Gower was an elegant left hand batsmen and has a reputation for being aloof, perhaps because of his privately educated background and upper-class accent and manner. Considered a graceful player, his laconic style was often misinterpreted as indifference and a lack of seriousness.
He made his debut in Test cricket in 1978, scoring a boundary from his first ball, bowled by Pakistan's Liaqat Ali and became, by the time of his retirement, the leading scorer in English history. The Ashes series of 1985 was a highlight of his career, with his own batting including three scores in excess of 150. Gower occasionally opened the innings, but was mainly a middle-order batsman.
Despite his casual reputation David Gower played a record 119 consecutive Test innings without a duck. He made six noughts in his first 73 innings (44 Tests between 1978 and 1982) but none in his next 66 matches. His only other nought came in the second innings at Melbourne in 1990-91 when England were chasing quick runs for victory. On a more whimsical note, he is one of the few bowlers in Test cricket to have been called for throwing.
Gower’s majestic 136 during the 1986 Perth test in the Ashes series
In 1987 Gower declined to play in that year's Cricket World Cup as he did not wish to travel, having been on nine successive winter tours since his debut. He never again declined an opportunity to play for England, however. Yet rumours that Gower lacked seriousness gained currency in 1989 when as England Captain he walked out of a press conference claiming he had tickets for the theatre. Most controversially, during the 1991 Ashes Tour in Australia England were playing a warm up match in Queensland when Gower decided to take another player (John Morris) for a joy ride in a Tiger Moth biplane without telling the England Team management. He was fined £1000 for the prank, a penalty that could have been steeper had he released the waterbombs he had also prepared. Gower added insult to injury by posing for press photographs with the planes the next day. England Captain Graham Gooch was enraged by the prank, as he was by Gower's mode of dismissal at a crucial stage of one of the Test matches. During the fourth Test at Adelaide, Gower walked out to the crease to the tune of Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. The last ball before lunch was bowled down the leg side to a leg trap, and all Gower needed to do was block. However, Gower flicked idly at the delivery (Gower was known for his flick shot to the leg side) and was caught at leg-slip. According to Michael Atherton in his autobiography, "Gooch was at the other end and as he walked off his face was thunderous". Gooch, it is widely believed, was instrumental in Gower being left out of the following tour of India. That selection decision prompted an extraordinary vote of no confidence in the selectors at the MCC, but it was to no avail as Gower was not included. He played one more season of county cricket for Hampshire, but in effect his international career was at a premature end at age 35, as England did not see fit to recall him during the 1993 Ashes series despite the heavy defeat they suffered and the threat posed by Shane Warne.
Since that time he has been a commentator throughout the world, and an advocate for endangered African wildlife. Perhaps the best summation of his batting talent comes from Clive Lloyd who noted that Gower would be an automatic selection in his West Indies team regardless. High praise indeed, and a recognition of a genuine match winner with the bat.
Since leaving the game, Gower has enjoyed a new career as a cricket broadcaster and television personality, including being one of the team captains on the popular BBC comedy sports quiz, They Think It's All Over from 1995 till 2003. He also presented four series of the BBC2 cricket magazine show, Gower's Cricket Monthly from 1995 - 1998 and, at the same time was one of the BBC's main cricket commentators. He is now the main presenter of international cricket coverage for Sky Sports and also commentates on the matches - a role he also plays in the video game Brian Lara International Cricket 2005. David was awarded the "Oldie Of The Year" award in 1993.
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