A lifetime in cricket writing - Mike Coward interview

We speak to the veteran journalist and author Mike Coward, who has watched and covered cricket over six decades. Coward rewinds the clock to various points in his illustrious career and talks about the importance of journalists and players trusting each other. He also opens up on his experience of being an openly gay journalist - and how the male cricketers can take a lead from the women  on making it a more inclusive game.

Note: War Minus The Shooting now available on Amazon.com, Amazon.in, Flipkart

Talking Points:

• An Adelaide childhood - and Les Favell as a 'summer god'


• Working in the newspaper industry in the 1960s - the smells, sights, and sounds


• A dream stint in England - meeting Rod Laver, the 1972 Olympics, and Ashes


• The magnanimity of Richie Benaud and Ian Chappell


• World Series Cricket and how it polarized the game and media


• The importance of Allan Border for India-Australia relations


• Covering the 1986 tied Test from an open press box, bathed in sweat


• Bradman, Tendulkar, Warne and Gilchrist - genius in contrast


• The experience of being an openly gay sports writer

Participants: Mike Coward; Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee); Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd)

Related: Mike Coward's books; Collection of Mike Coward's articles for ESPNcricinfo; A boy's own idol - Mike Coward on Les Favell - Wisden Asia Cricket; The subcontinent beyond the cliches - 81allout podcast on Cricket Beyond the Bazaar; Calypso Summer - YouTube documentary on the 1960-61 series; Madras Magic - YouTube documentary on the tied Test in Madras; Calypso Summer - Mike Coward - Amazon.com; Little Master becomes mere mortal - Mike Coward - Fox Sports; The warmth of a sweltering city - Mike Coward on Chennai - ESPNcricinfo; Embracing the East: Suresh Menon on Cricket Beyond the Bazaar - ESPNcricinfo; When a tie was a victory for Border's battlers - 81allout podcast; The Final Frontier: Mike Coward - The Greatest Season That Was podcast; Mike Coward's speech at the ASC Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2015