Jack Bannister, English cricket player, Died at 85

  Sports

John David “Jack” Bannister was born on August 23, 1930, in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England and died on January 23, 2016.

He was an English cricket commentator and former first-class cricketer.

He played for Warwickshire.

For many years, he was a BBC television cricket commentator and later the Talksport radio cricket correspondent.

Jack has played professionally on the county scene for Warwickshire as a fast-medium bowler, taking 1198 first-class wickets in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1969.

Going into the Combined Services cricket team for Warwickshire at the Mitchells and Butlers ground in Birmingham, he took all 10 Services wickets in an innings for 41 runs.

Still these remain the best bowling figures in an innings for Warwickshire.

After his cricket career, Mr.Bannister worked as a bookmaker in Wolverhampton.

During this time, he was instrumental in setting up the Professional Cricketer’s Pension Scheme.

Jack was a familiar voice on BBC TV’s cricket coverage from 1984 through to 1994 firstly as a reviewer then moving on to commentating in 1988.

After a while, David Gower joined the team in 1994 and eventually replaced Bannister the following summer, but Bannister continued to commentate on Natwest Trophy and Sunday League games until 1999 and had a full role at the BBC’s coverage of the 1999 Cricket World Cup.

As Jack moved on in his career, he provided commentary on and summaries of England international cricket matches on talkSPORT sports radio station from his home as he watched the game on television.

During the 1995 South Africa vs England test match series in South Africa, jack promised he would eat a newspaper if South Africa won.

Jack eventually did, when South Africa won.

Jack Bannister passed away at 85 yrs old.