This
weekend, the programme will be hosted in the huge Genting Arena in Birmingham, complete
with Oscars-style production values and a substantial audience expected to be
wearing more dinner jackets and posh frocks than beige blazers. Amongst the
many awards to be presented will be two of the more traditional ones: the
overall BBC Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) and its Overseas equivalent.
The
former has, since 1954, been determined by a public vote, be it by names
submitted on a postcard or the current instant online method. By and large,
those chosen have been worthy winners although BBC viewers have occasionally served
up surprises.
Perhaps
the greatest of them all came in 1975 when, after being called up by England to
face the intimidating Aussie attack of Lillee and Thomson, cricketer David
Steele saw off allcomers to take the SPOTY prize. Just as well, because the
Ashes were lost but, while he scored consistently without once reaching three
figures, the England batsman’s prematurely grey hair, schoolmasterly specs and
shy-but-solid character endeared himself to the viewing public in an
extraordinary way. Two years later he was largely forgotten but the name David
Steele will forever be engraved on one of the trophy’s plinth shields.
In 64
years, only three other cricketers have taken the main award, and only two
others placed second or third. In 1956, Jim Laker triumphed on the back of his 19-wicket
achievement against Australia, then in 1981 and 2005, further Ashes accomplishments
received SPOTY recognition, to the benefit of Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff.
Geoff Boycott and Graham Gooch are the additional pair to claim the minor
prizes. Since cricket accepted self-imposed exile on Sky, becoming a minority
sport in the process, the chances of a cricketer winning SPOTY have decreased
sharply. I can’t imagine even Alastair Cook, Jimmy Anderson or Joe Root making
Sunday night’s shortlist of six. Only another outstanding Ashes or World Cup performance
could end the drought. 2019 perhaps?
But
what about the Overseas Personality prize? Well, cricket hasn’t fared much
better. Of course, individual sports are more suited than team games to such
awards. While tennis and athletics have dominated in recent years a mere three
cricketers have been selected by the judges (not public). The award was introduced
in 1960, too late for Garry Sobers’ 365. However, the West Indian did receive
the accolade in 1966, shared with World Cup footballer Eusebio.
It
was another 28 years before Brian Lara erased the record, and a few others, making
him a shoo-in for the BBC’s 1994 award. Then, in 2005, to balance Flintoff’s SPOTY
and Ashes triumphs, the trophy went to the brilliant Aussie spinner Shane Warne, whose
individual performances in defeat eclipsed even Freddie’s. However there has never been space in the panel's
affections for superstars such as Dennis Lillee, Viv Richards (defeated
in his vintage year of ’76 by gymnast Nadia Comaneci), Imran Khan, Sachin Tendulkar
or Muttiah Muralitharan.
So
could a cricketer win in 2018? Despite there being a Winter Olympics, Commonwealth
Games and football World Cup, I reckon those charged with deciding these things
must surely consider the claim of Virat Kohli. After such a stonking year for
him personally, making loads of runs in all formats while shouldering the
burdens of India’s captaincy and expectations, It is surely time for cricket to
take centre stage once again on BBC Sport’s gala night of glory.
