Geoffrey Boycott apologises to Michael Yardy

 
Geoffrey Boycott divides opinion perhaps like no other cricketer past or present.

You either love him or loathe him.

The Reverse Sweep falls into the former camp and mostly forgives him for his many transgressions such as shirking out of the 1974/75 Ashes series, going on the rebel tour of 1982 and for generally being a selfish so and so.

We like people to have opinions in a world that is becoming increasingly banal and obsessed with celebrity and political correctness. Boycott certainly has plenty to say and isn't afraid to share his views with anyone that will listen.

But his remarks about Michael Yardy's premature return from the World Cup due to a depression related illness were beyond the pale. He was clearly talking about a subject on which he knew nothing about and even if his words were probably taken out of context by a media desperate for a bit of controversy, Boycott should have probably kept his mouth shut on this occasion.

So it is refreshing that with the sad news this week that Yardy has had to take more time off to treat his illness, Boycott has issued (albeit rather belatedly) a fairly contrite apology to Yardy via the BBC website.

Boycott is not known for admitting his mistakes, so it is doubly pleasing that on this occasion he has decided to climb down and genuinely (in our view) accept that he got it horribly wrong.

It goes without saying (and not just because we are Sussex supporters) that we wish Yardy a speedy recovery and hope to see him back in action soon.

Where next?

County Championship XI of the week #10: Division 1 Half-Term XI

KP's brush with death at Lord's

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

All-time England Ashes XI: The Openers, Number 3, 4 and 5, All-rounder, Wicketkeeper, Fast bowlers, Spin King

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Comments

[wilo]

hear, hear, on all counts :)