Norman de Mesquita dies

Norman de Mesquita, who was a regular in the Lord's press box, has died. He was Wisden's Middlesex correspondent from 1994 and also covered ice hockey but seems to have been best known as a commentator on London Radio during the 1970s and '80s.

My time at the Nursery End overlapped with his by only a couple of months but that was long enough to tell that he was a great character. Despite his obvious frailty he was still turning up for a couple of hours a day when Middlesex were at home in the Championship up until as recently as the last game at Lord's, against Yorkshire around a month ago. He was always the one hack who diligently recorded the balls/ deliveries faced of a batsman's innings/ half-century - an invaluable service for us young'uns with our heads stuck in laptops!

Shelsey - thanks for alerting us.  I had long forgotten the name, but it certainly comes back - I must have been remembering him from the old John Player League commentary days.  

At the time I had never seen his name written down and assumed the spelling was Mosquito

Shelsey - sad news, but nonetheless appreciated. I cannot claim to know anything specific of the man but definitely recall the distinctive name. I do remember him providing cricket updates on the radio at weekends. The impression given was that of a dependable and reliable sort going about his work closer to the coal face than the glamour gigs. However, that is not a criticism at all. Just as all cricketers cannot play Tests, only a few broadcasters and journalists can scale the top heights of their own profession. Norman de Mesquita certainly got a lot closer than most and clearly had the respect of his fellow professionals. I noticed for example a brief but obviously sincere tribute on twitter earlier this evening from the much admired Ed Bevan of Radio Wales.

"A wonderful broadcaster who paved the way for others to pick up the microphone" - Mark Church, Surrey cricket broadcaster for Radio London.

Norman's contribution to cricket broadcasting should not be underestimated.The first to introduce the radio sports phone-in, his radio London sunday morning programme was essential listening, whilst his innovative JPL commentaries are the stuff of legend and never bettered.Farewell 'Stormin Norman' there'll never be another.

Fine post from Loverboy. I fear my more recent and rather vague memories do not do Norman de Mesquita justice. Certainly didn't know that he introduced the radio sports phone-in.

Meanwhile, and probably not surprisingly, tributes continue to be made on the Middlesex Till We Die forum.

Norman's talents should have taken him further in the game, but as was often remarked at his funeral today his outspokeness, his ethnicity and lack of a public school education always counted against him.