EW Swanton has died, aged 92, following a short illness.
EW "Jim" Swanton was a much respected writer and broadcaster
whose influence spread well beyond the narrow confines of
journalism. His journalism career started in 1927 with
the Evening Standard, but he is best known for his tenure as the
Daily Telegraph cricket correspondent from 1946, being still
active until shortly before his death. He also wrote extensively
and knowledgeably on rugby and golf for the Daily Telegraph.
He was a respectable cricketer himself, his interest being
furthered initially when his father enrolled him as a junior
member of Surrey in 1921. In the 1930s he was described in the
Cricketer as "one of the best opening batsmen in club matches",
and became a playing member of the MCC,. He had a brief run for
Middlesex seconds, playing with Compton, and a couple of
first-class matches against the Universities.
He volunteered for the Army in the Second World War, and was
captured by the Japanese forces invading Malaya. He spent three
and a half years as a prisoner of war in difficult circumstances
losing over 5 stone in weight by the time he returned.
He became involved in radio broadcasting in the 1930s, and took
part on the first experiments of BBC broadcasts of overseas
tours, covering parts of the 10 day England - South Africa Test
of 1939. He later made the transition from radio to television,
where he developed his extraordinary ability to extemporize
beautifully timed and lucid summaries at close of play.
He organized and managed a number of tours, EW Swanton's XI
playing matches in the West Indies in 1956 and 1961, and EW
Swanton's Commonwealth XI (including Sobers, Benaud, the Nawab of
Pataudi, Rahmadin, and SM Nourse) playing across the far East in
1964. He was also treasurer for the Duke of Norfolk's XI that
toured the West Indies in 1970.
He covered seven England tours to Australia and a similar number
to the Carribean, four to South Africa, and 40 English seasons,
seeing perhaps more cricket than any other person at the time of
his death. He was particularly fond of the West Indies,
maintaining a second home in Barbados for a number of years.
Perceived as something of an establishment figure, because of his
public school background, his opinions were anything but
predictable, being at times a strong opponent of racism, and
advocating inter-racial cricket on South Africa in the early 60s.
He took great delight in quoting a letter received in 1956
stating that the Telegraph cricket correspondent should be
"quietly disposed of, stuffed, and placed in the Long Room with
the curved bats, the sparrow and the other freaks of the noble
game". Forty years later, Swanton was still regularly
contributing his carefully thought out, elegantly written
opinions.
He was held in the highest esteem throughout the cricketing
world. He authored 23 books during his career - notably
collaborating with HS Altham on the standard "History of
Cricket". He was also the Honorary Curator at Kent County
Cricket Club.
The news was announced by his family on Saturday evening, who
said he died at the Chaucer Hospital in Canterbury (just a short
distance from the St. Lawrence Cricket Ground).
A number of famous cricketing names have been talking to the BBC
about their memories of him. Lord Cowdrey said "Cricket loses an
enormous friend in Jim who gave his whole life to the game.
Another former Daily Telegraph correspondent, Christopher
Martin-Jenkins, talked of Swanton's "amazing depth of
knowledge.... his greatest quality was his interest in other
people, especially young people who shared his love of
cricket..."
Former Kent and England batsman Brian Luckhurst said EW Swanton
was "Kent cricket through and through".
Funeral Arrangements: EW Swanton's funeral will take place at St. Clement's Church, Sandwich, Kent on Tuesday 1st February at 11.30 GMT. Kent County Cricket Club have said they plan to arrange a Memorial Service.