London 14 August, London (IAN) Australian cricket great Ian Chappell has officially called time on his more than four decades-long commentary career, according to an article in Daily Mail on Sunday The report was based on the Sydney Morning Herald.The veteran of 75 Test matches, who finished his long and illustrious career with more than 5 000 hours in the most long-running format was reported to have said that his decision to quit the broadcasting booth was similar to that of his retirement announcement.
The cricketing legend was a fixture in the media box shortly after he retired from international cricket.In that capacity, he was the captain of Australia in 30 Test matches.
“I recall the moment I realized I’d been through enough of playing cricket,” the 78-year-old, who was signed in the year 1980 with Channel 9 and has worked with the ABC for the past two years, said to the Sydney Morning Herald.”I was looking at the clock and it was 5:05 pm 11 on an entire day of playing and I thought”S ***, If you’re watching the clock at this point I’ve got to get out of the way,” Chappell was quoted as saying.
The legendary, who declared the end of his international career in 1980 after scoring 14 Test centuries also said that he was nearly dismissed by the media baron Kerry Packer amid World Series Cricket.
“Kerry wanted to throw me out several of times.
He was known to be a bit smug and he would get the shits on one-day cricket because it was his child .For Kerry it was like an avalanche, you let it rage until the next one arrived,” Chappell said.
Chappell stated that he enjoyed talking about his about his life with the legendary cricketer the late Richie Benaud and added that although he didn’t anticipate the demise of Test cricket in his lifetime, he wasn’t very optimistic about the future of the sport.
“(Test cricket) won’t die in my lifetime.
But who will be playing it? That’s the biggest problem,” Chappell told Channel 9.
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