Essex match was the first BBC ball-by-ball covered

[essexfan548]

Today's Guardian

"14 May 1927: Ninety-nine years ago on Thursday, the first BBC ball-by-ball coverage crackled on air. The experiment was low key coverage of Essex v the New Zealanders at Leyton by the Rev Frank Gillingham, who played for Essex between 1903 and 1928 whenever he wasn't in the pulpit. The BBC was unsure that the cricket would be interesting enough to sustain a whole programme, so his broadcasts, live from the pavilion balcony and sadly lost to posterity, were interleaved with the London Radio Dance Band.

'Deathly dull' was the verdict of the Western Daily Press, but there was enough promise for the Beeb to continue with the experiment snippets from the Roses game at Old Trafford, then the Test trial at Sheffield. Gillingham lost his commentary gig after displeasing Lord Reith by reading out the advertisements seen around the Oval. Ball by ball, however, would never look back."

Scroll down here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/may/13/oswestry-cc-boasts-10-mother-daughter-pairs-cricket-the-spin

[vim]

E W Swanton was featured in the BBC book, Armchair Cricket. Which was published in 1975, the first World Cup. He described a Test match commentary he did from South Africa, in the 1930s. There were only 30 minutes each day, and it so happened that he  was on the air, when there was a hat trick.

E W Swanton was celebrating 40 years in the Media. He went on to also celebrate, 50 and 60 years as well.

[Andy]

A lot of people got on the wrong side of Lord Reith including his family.  I have seen a photo of FG doing his commentary. He is of course the best cricket quiz subject as he was born in Tokyo.

[vim]

Another quiz question, is that he died in Monaco.

[vim]

It was Lord Reith. That when he found out, an announcer had been named in a divorce case. Gave the order, that man is not to read the epilogue.

[Andy]

It was Lord Reith. That when he found out, an announcer had been named in a divorce case. Gave the order, that man is not to read the epilogue.

Was that Peter Eckersley? Seems PE and co were having too much fun before that humourless violent Scottish psychotic took over the BBC.

[vim]

The fun was at the site in Writtle. Before the BBC opened Broadcasting House. Peter Eckersley was one of the engineers.