After posting the piece by Bob Borsley to mark the death of Fred Titmus, I received an email from a reader reminding me of a song in which Titmus features. This gave me the idea - which I can't think why I haven't had before! - of compiling a list of songs that refer to named Test cricketers. The following song doesn't count, unfortunately, because though it contains immortal lines about cricket, no cricketer is named. Still, it can provide a theme tune for introducing the list.
(1) Fuckin' 'Ell, Its Fred Titmus features Fred Titmus.
(2) In Cricket, Lovely Cricket you'll meet Sonny Ramadhin, Alf Valentine and many other Test players.
(3) N-n-nineteen Not Out has Larwood, Jardine and Laker, among others.
(4) The Geoff and John in When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease are Geoff Boycott and John Snow.
(5) Tribute To Michael Holding speaks for itself - but, anyway, look.
(6) Alec Bedser Calypso focuses on Bedser's performance in the Trent Bridge Test of 1953, when he took 14 wickets for 99.
(7) Jiggery Pokery is about Shane Warne's 'Ball of the Century' at Old Trafford in 1993.
(8) Richie Benaud, Bill Lawry and Merv Hughes put in an appearance of sorts in Marvellous.
(9) Though this list is still young, he's long overdue - Our Don Bradman.
(10) And here's more on him, in the splendid song Bradman: 'He was more than just a batsman / He was something like a tide / He was more than just one man / He could take on any side'.
(11) 'Who's the greatest cricketer on Earth or Mars? / Anyone can tell you, it's the great Sir Garfield Sobers!'
(12) Warnie gets another outing in The Shane Warne Song.
(13) He only played in four Test matches but he still gets in as somebody's favourite cricketer - Matthew Maynard.
(14) In Meeting Mr Miandad you'll be meeting Javed of that ilk.
(15) And in C'mon Aussie C'mon you'll be meeting Pigeon and Dizzy and Punter - or, alternatively, Lillee and Marsh and the Chappell brothers.
(16) Next up, Frank Tyson in The Ashes (Australia vs MCC 1955).
(17) Putting in an appearance in MCC vs West Indies are Learie Constantine, Walter Hammond and others.
(18) The immortal Victor Trumper is the subject, predictably enough, of Victor Trumper.
(19) And Warnie is back - or rather not back - in Win Without Warnie.
(20) With cricket bat, he saw himself as Peter May.
(21) And though he has no Youtube incarnation, it's impossible to ignore Hedley Verity in Hedley Verityesque.
I shall be adding to this list as and when. Your suggestions welcome. (Thanks: MH and all who have written to me with possible additions.)