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Tony Cozier, one of the most revered commentators of the game, passed away on Wednesday (May 11). He was 75.
Cozier, who began commentating and writing on West Indies cricket in 1958, was ill and had been under doctors’ supervision in Barbados since May 3, reports said.
"Mr Cozier covered Windies cricket for over 50 years; made a great contribution to the game. We extend condolences to his friends and family," said the West Indies Cricket Board through their official Twitter account.
Born in Bridgetown in 1940, Cozier took to journalism at age 14, inspired by his father Jimmy, who was the editor of newspapers in the Caribbean. In 1960, two years after his first formal reports were published, he moved to Ottowa’s Carleton University to study journalism.
He started working for Barbados Daily News in 1961 and made his radio debut on Trinidad’s Radio 601 the same year. He then accompanied the West Indies team on their tour of England in 1963, covering the cricket for both the Daily News and for BBC’s Caribbean Service and grew in stature as he was dubbed 'the voice of West Indies cricket'.
In England, Cozier had been a part of Test Match Special since 1966 and worked for Sky Sports as well. He edited the West Indies Cricket Annual between 1970 and 1991 and also wrote several books and periodicals, including 50 Years in West Indian Cricket and Caribbean Cricket Quarterly .
Over the years, Cozier has been a strong critic of the WICB administration as well as the West Indies Player's Association, considering it his duty to point out the damage that was being done to West Indies cricket.
Though Cozier preferred playing hockey to cricket – as a goalkeeper for Barbados – he played for two Barbados clubs, Wanderers and Carlton, as an opening batsman and wicketkeeper.
In 2011, Cozier was awarded honorary life membership of the Marylebone Cricket Club for services to the game. He also has a press box at the Kensington Oval in Barbados named after him.
Among his achievements is having covered nearly every West Indies series since 1962. In fact, a 2003 report in the 2003 Wisden Cricketer's Almanack estimated he had watched 266 Tests at the time.
Cozier is survived by wife Jillian and children Craig, a television producer at the Indian Premier League, and Natalie.
Tributes flowed in for Cozier when news of his passing spread.
Harsha Bhogle on Twitter: "No. No. No. My hero, my idol, my benchmark for grace and excellence. And class and dignity. No. #GreatTonyCozier"
https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/730420838206341120
https://twitter.com/Jaseholder98/status/730439243126841345
https://twitter.com/DaleSteyn62/status/730417625956671489
https://twitter.com/DJBravo47/status/730427526514774016
https://twitter.com/TomMoodyCricket/status/730421972220284928
Sidvee on Twitter: "The countless times when one fell asleep watching cricket from the Caribbean... only to be woken up by that beautiful voice #...
Bobby Ghosh on Twitter: "On a heavenly green right now, Tony Cozier, softly into a mic: "Larwood, coming in to bowl, right arm over the wick...
https://twitter.com/OsmanSamiuddin/status/730432362937462784
https://twitter.com/alexmassie/status/730428088585224192
https://twitter.com/norcrosscricket/status/730438945364905987
Gary Naylor on Twitter: "I just wish I could say "Correction" on hearing the news from Barbados. RIP Mr Cozier: things won't be the...
Tony Cozier passes away aged 75
Cozier, who began commentating and writing on West Indies cricket in 1958, was ill and had been under doctors’ supervision in Barbados since May 3, reports said.
"Mr Cozier covered Windies cricket for over 50 years; made a great contribution to the game. We extend condolences to his friends and family," said the West Indies Cricket Board through their official Twitter account.
Born in Bridgetown in 1940, Cozier took to journalism at age 14, inspired by his father Jimmy, who was the editor of newspapers in the Caribbean. In 1960, two years after his first formal reports were published, he moved to Ottowa’s Carleton University to study journalism.
He started working for Barbados Daily News in 1961 and made his radio debut on Trinidad’s Radio 601 the same year. He then accompanied the West Indies team on their tour of England in 1963, covering the cricket for both the Daily News and for BBC’s Caribbean Service and grew in stature as he was dubbed 'the voice of West Indies cricket'.
In England, Cozier had been a part of Test Match Special since 1966 and worked for Sky Sports as well. He edited the West Indies Cricket Annual between 1970 and 1991 and also wrote several books and periodicals, including 50 Years in West Indian Cricket and Caribbean Cricket Quarterly .
Over the years, Cozier has been a strong critic of the WICB administration as well as the West Indies Player's Association, considering it his duty to point out the damage that was being done to West Indies cricket.
Though Cozier preferred playing hockey to cricket – as a goalkeeper for Barbados – he played for two Barbados clubs, Wanderers and Carlton, as an opening batsman and wicketkeeper.
In 2011, Cozier was awarded honorary life membership of the Marylebone Cricket Club for services to the game. He also has a press box at the Kensington Oval in Barbados named after him.
Among his achievements is having covered nearly every West Indies series since 1962. In fact, a 2003 report in the 2003 Wisden Cricketer's Almanack estimated he had watched 266 Tests at the time.
Cozier is survived by wife Jillian and children Craig, a television producer at the Indian Premier League, and Natalie.
Tributes flowed in for Cozier when news of his passing spread.
Harsha Bhogle on Twitter: "No. No. No. My hero, my idol, my benchmark for grace and excellence. And class and dignity. No. #GreatTonyCozier"
https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/730420838206341120
https://twitter.com/Jaseholder98/status/730439243126841345
https://twitter.com/DaleSteyn62/status/730417625956671489
https://twitter.com/DJBravo47/status/730427526514774016
https://twitter.com/TomMoodyCricket/status/730421972220284928
Sidvee on Twitter: "The countless times when one fell asleep watching cricket from the Caribbean... only to be woken up by that beautiful voice #...
Bobby Ghosh on Twitter: "On a heavenly green right now, Tony Cozier, softly into a mic: "Larwood, coming in to bowl, right arm over the wick...
https://twitter.com/OsmanSamiuddin/status/730432362937462784
https://twitter.com/alexmassie/status/730428088585224192
https://twitter.com/norcrosscricket/status/730438945364905987
Gary Naylor on Twitter: "I just wish I could say "Correction" on hearing the news from Barbados. RIP Mr Cozier: things won't be the...
Tony Cozier passes away aged 75
