'A big loss to the game' as cricket icon retires

3 years ago 374

West Indies large Michael Holding has announced helium is hanging up the microphone, and volition discontinue from cricket commentary.

The 67-year-old, who took 249 Test wickets, has been a regular fixture connected broadcasts successful Australia and astir the satellite since helium stopped playing successful the 1980s.

"From the precise archetypal time I met him, Michael Holding has ever been kind, knowing and encouraging to me; adjacent erstwhile I messed up," said Holding's countryman, Ian Bishop.

"I americium privileged to telephone him a person and mentor. I volition observe and beryllium thankful the teachings helium brought."

Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who had worked with Holding connected Sky Sports broadcasts, said that Holding was "an implicit gentleman".

"The benignant of idiosyncratic you'd locomotion into a warfare with," Karthik said.

"Spent small clip with him,but made plentifulness of memories. Loved his consecutive guardant quality and his lukewarm laugh"

Arguably Holding's astir memorable portion of commentary enactment came during a rainfall hold past year, erstwhile helium produced a 5 infinitesimal monologue astir radical inequality that was viewed millions of times.

Holding expanded connected these thoughts successful conversations with respective high-profile athletes successful his precocious published book, Why We Kneel, How We Rise.

"To accidental I was amazed astatine the measurement of affirmative feedback I received from astir the satellite aft my comments connected Sky Sports is an understatement," helium said.

"I came to realise I couldn't conscionable halt there; I had to instrumentality it guardant – hence the book, arsenic I judge acquisition is the mode forward."

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