Broadcaster Ralph Dellor passes away at the age of 69

Broadcaster Ralph Dellor, a former cricket editor has passed away at the age 69. In a challenging and celebrated 50-year career in cricket, Dellor commentated for the BBC’s Test Match Special programme, written many books, and coached the Norwegian national team. Dellor started his career in 1970 with BBC local radio, and went on to work on Grandstand and Match of the Day as well as TMS.

He has a unique feat to his name as he became the ICC’s first media consultant and, more recently, took on the job of “Voice of Lord’s” as MCC’s PA announcer. Widely loved and respected within cricket, he was involved in numerous other sports and developed a line in after-dinner speaking. Between 1984 and 1988, he was editor of the Cricketers’ Who’s Who and in 2000 he won the Jack Fingleton Award as cricket commentator of the year.

An Essex man

Apart from being a cricketer, Dellor was a golfer too. He was an ECB-accredited coach and led Norway to the European Trophy in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Dellor was director of cricket operations at Cricinfo between 2000 and 2003, which involved commentating on the 2000 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand. He left to start his own venture, Sportsline Media, with Cricinfo colleague Stephen Lamb.

Dellor has played for Essex in 50+ County Championship. Apart from Norway, Dellor has worked with the national teams of France, Austria.  Dellor was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, for which he had been undergoing treatment. He was involved in the broadcasting work during the women’s world cup in England, which the hosts went on to win against India. The Women’s world cup turned out to be a huge success, as fans across all age groups took interest in the event. From the broadcasting crew to the groundsmen, it was an event which will go down as a grand success.