Much-loved pundit back on Sky Sports five years after axe in major broadcasting change
CRICKET fans were delighted to hear the murmur of the great David Gower during England’s tour of Pakistan this month.
Gower has briefly returned to our Sky Sports feed after he was axed more than five years ago.
The cricket legend joined the world feed commentary for England’s three Test matches in Pakistan.
Gower, 67, bid farewell to the Sky Sports commentary box after the conclusion of the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval in the 2019 series.
It came after Sky decided not to renew his contract.
He said he had been “retired” and pointed reference to “modern pressures” about what sort of person gets to have their face on telly.
He and Sir Ian Botham, who was also axed, had become synonymous covering England’s escapades on the cricket pitch for more than 20 years.
At the time, Gower OBE suggested “ageism” was at play but Bob Willis, 70, and David Lloyd, 72, were briefly kept on.
Gower, who first forayed into his media experiences on 1990s comedy sports quiz show They Think It’s All Over, is now back on the mic.
Although Gower hasn’t been formally hired by Sky again, he has been delighting fans on the world feed commentary.
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Sky is showing coverage from a Pakistan host broadcaster, for whom Gower is working.
The former England captain has worked in Pakistan regularly since leaving Sky.
Gower played 117 Test matches and 114 One Day Internationals, scoring 8,231 and 3,170 runs, respectively.
He returned to commentary for BT Sport for the 2021–22 Ashes series.
The Kent-born former cricketer played for Leicestershire and Hampshire domestically.
Fans were delighted to hear him again, with one writing: “David Gower got to be the best Test cricket commentator.”
A second said: “The last of the legends!”
Another added: “Is that the honourable Sir David Gower on commentary.”
Meanwhile, England are currently facing a tricky spell after Pakistan took a first-innings lead of 77, after being bowled out at 344 runs in the final Test.
The series is currently level at 1-1, after Pakistan won the second Test by 152 runs.
This came after England’s record breaking first Test, where Joe Root and Harry Brook set a new record for the highest Test Partnership in the nation’s history.