´óÏó´«Ã½

I'm sitting at work crying... Like a lot of other people... Goodbye "Bearders".

We miss you already.

Stfe

Can't believe I will never hear him again, TMS will never quite be the same.

My thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time

Sarah

What will Blowers do without him. :(

Gutted.

Rob.

Bearders was a major part of my life for most it. With all due respect to those that follow, nothing will ever be quite the same. I wonder if Simon Mann remembers, as I do, the time he spilt his drink over Bearders' score book....?

"Its amazing what can be achieved if no one cares who gets the credit". Bill had all the knowledge but looked for no personal credit. Terrific example. Great guy.
Thanks Bill

May I offer my deepest sympathy to all family and friends.

Bill is a great loss to the worlds of cricket and radio broadcasting. Something will be missing from the summer.

great guy, funny and a top servant for cricket. i was shocked that he died so quickly, i thought he had been well i mean he did cover last yrs india's tests. What happened? Will be sorely missed

RIP Bill m8

I am most upset to hear this news, I hope that Bill rests in peace and is up there scoring with a heavenly test match featuring all the greats with Johnners as commentator.

its shocking news.. i love everything about the man, all those stats and as a kid i used to double check my wisden just to make sure bill was correct. everything today has been bad news rest in peace bill.

It has been such a privilege to share your wisdom - thank you Bill - and thanks to your family for sharing you with us.

Devastating news.
69 is 'young' these days.

I still have your e-mails (on 'stat' matters).

Who will continue the great work on Cricket Archive?

:-(

A great sadness and a great lost to the team and to all cricket lovers.

Rest in peace

Dear Bill, what will we do without you?

Grumpy, funny, entertaining and above all, knowledgeable.

The backbone of the team.

Condolences to his family.

I'm absolutely speechless after hearing the awful news of Bill's death. I felt I had to come here in order to pay my respects to a great man, a great broadcaster and a great innovator.

My deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

I was absolutely stunned to learn of Bill Frindall's death. He was so much a part of my cricket listening for so long (believe me for so long!). He was just magic.

My condolences to his family, his friends and to all the TMS team who must be in pieces in the West Indies.

We will all miss him and his amazing memory/ability to find facts at the drop of a hat.

I can't believe it. I know that he had reduced his commitments somewhat, but it was impossible to believe that he might leave us. I set him a poser in his last column that I had hoped was actually good enough to get the great man's attention.

Just as TMS lost so much when Johnners left, can it ever be the same without the Bearded Wonder?

The backbone of the TMS team.

Dreadfully sad.

Monty

I am really, really sad to hear of The Bearded Wonder's untimely passing. Needless to say, TMS will never be the same now that Bill is gone - he was in my opinion the real voice of TMS simply because he was so accurate with his info. which basically kept the commentators in line (especially the late Johnners !!)

Rest in Peace, Bill.

My reaction when logging onto ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cricket this evening was "Oh no!"

I'd already mentioned to a few fellow cricket fans how I was looking forward to hearing Bill Frindall's analysis etc from the West Indies in the next month or so.

Bill, from a fellow Wiltshire man and (less of a) 'Stat Brain', thank you for all your excellent, dedicated work and RIP.

Andy

I am going to miss voice, expertise and knowledge. What a sad loss to the world of cricket. A real gentlemen and he will be missed

Terribl terrible news. He only answered a question of mine a few weeks ago on ask Bearders. I never knew that he was so sick.
A tear will be spilt in my house as well as a fine Whiskey drunk to the Bearded Wonder.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
God Bless and RIP Bill. Long may you be remembered.

Legend.

Bill represents everything that is great about cricket, that a dot ball in a test match can be just as exciting as a 20/20 circus. God bless you.

Just 1 qustion, Will the ´óÏó´«Ã½ be saving up these fantastic posts from everyone here to present to his family?
It would be a true representation to them as to how much he touched the average peoples lives.

We will always remember, lest we forget.

It's a strange thing. I never met him and only saw him up close once.
And yet I don't think I'm alone in claiming to feel not just dismay but genuine grief that Bill is gone.
It's an extraordinary feat to create such joy and love from something as ostensibly dry as statistics.

Why on earth is Bill's passing not a major story on the front of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport???
He gave so much to ´óÏó´«Ã½ sport and asked so little in return.

Am I alone in thinking Bill would go on forever. I can't believe he's gone.

Eirebilly, I can only echo your sentiments, although I notice that the news has gradually become more prominent through the evening.

I still find it hard to believe that it has happened. Why was there no warning? Wasn't Bearders going to score the Test series starting next week?

´óÏó´«Ã½;
Please see the amazing momories that have been shared on the 606

/dna/606/A46716113

This man has touched people of all generations. Even people that were born in the 90's have fond memories of the bearded wonder.

stargazer;
I new that you, as a true cricket fan, would be with me in trying to get the ´óÏó´«Ã½ to let Bearders family know how much he meant to us.

Thanks

I used to think I was a decent scorer until I read what Bill used to do. He put me to shame, and will always be the greatest scorer. A massive loss.

So so sad. He was a hero to me. It's horrible when someone like this passes away - feels like a member of the family.

I'll dedicate my scorebooks to you, Bill.

I'm sat here 'visualising' his voice in my head.

It was not authorative, but very correct and VERY distinctive.

He will be missed by many

God bless you Bill Frindall

Eirebilly, to many of us, Bill Frindle was inseparable from TMS. I guess that the first series that I listened to seriously was the 1972 Ashes. Since then, other commentators (Trevor Bailey, Joihn Arlott, Fred Trueman, Don Mosey, Brian Johnson, etc.) have been and gone, but Bill was constant: forthright, informative, entertaining and the butt of many jokes by his fellow commentators (such as the description of him twitching in his chair like a death row prisoner who has received too small a charge in the electric chair, every time a record has just been set that the commentators have not noticed). It was sad when he stopped scoring the one-dayers, but it is tragic that he won't be heard again.

I was a scorer myself, using a slightly simplified version of his method to score while waiting to bat in games. And liked to think of myself as a budding Frindall (with beard and all).

Lesser personalities have so often been headlines on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Web site when they died. Does Bill Frindall deserve less?

Please pass on my deepest sympathies to Debbie and the rest of Bill's family. I know that I speak for all of us who have grown to know and love Test Match Special through the years that he leaves a gap which will be almost impossible to fill.

Innings closed.

God bless you.

Stargazer;

Maybe i am being too emotional, but i grew up with Bearders. To me he was the voice of cricket in Ireland. I am sure that many countries have the same. I am just shocked the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has not decided that Bill's passing has not earned the right to be posted on the front page.
He transgressed generations and countries (Ireland being one) in his unusual style.
The ´óÏó´«Ã½ can do a little more to honour this man.

I'm sat here reading this in utter disbelief. I thought Bill was actually part of the radio, part of the fabric of the medium that is always there.

For me listening to TMS is more than listening to cricket, it's an escape, it's a ritual, it's a welcome distraction ... and it's not going to be the same.

Bill, I hope they play cricket in heaven.

Eirebilly, it is posted on the front page: there is a little link on the right hand side. Can't miss it if you use a magnifying glass.

No, I understand perfectly. I read the news with stunned disbelief. People like him shouldn't die.

Its amazing that a guy who scores cricket matches can be the subject of such worthy praise.

Haven't listened for ages but deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

i grew up listening to TMS it was and still is a fantastic service to this country BILL FRINDALL was a vital member of the team his amazing pwers of concentration must have been exhausting at times but he was even more correct than the official scoreboard fond memories RIP ( THE BEARDED WONDER)

At 11:13pm on 30 Jan 2009, pontoon_g117 wrote:
Please pass on my deepest sympathies to Debbie and the rest of Bill's family. I know that I speak for all of us who have grown to know and love Test Match Special through the years that he leaves a gap which will be almost impossible to fill.
++++++++++++++++
Can't add any more,
Rest in Peace, Beaders

I of course have read some of Bill Frindall's work but being an Aussie wasn't aware of the reverence he was held in over there. I have never had the pleasure of hearing TMS but listen to our commentators over here. Condolances to his family and all of the devoted fans whose comments I have been reading. The whole cricket World is poorer for the passing of our iconic links to the past. I trust your team can do their best in the upcoming Ashes series as a tribute to Bill, but I'm sure you will forgive me for hoping it is an enthralling 3-2 series our way especially after our comprehensive drubbing by the Sth Africans. All the best and RIP Bill.

I was shocked and in disbelief with the news of passing away of our dearly beloved friend Bill Frindall.

Thank you Bill for your wonderful services for this great game of cricket.

My deepest sympathies goes to his beloved family.

Good bye Bill !

May you rest in peace!

Oh those halcyon days of cat-whiskered stats
Magical figures of Bowlers and Bats
Right on the button with balls bowles or faced
Who, where and when, the Total embraced.

I am shocked and saddened, condolences to his family and friends.

I am however heartened to think that the world of cricket will not forget him and he will remain in memory as one of the greats of the game.

Like others, my first reaction was to say out loud "Oh no."

A great loss to Cricket and the world of broadcasting.

John Arlott and Fred will no doubt be waiting for him to fill the empty seat that awaits him in the celestial Lord's.

My deepest sympathies goes to his family.

Farewell Bill, may you rest in peace!

Sad news indeed. May I offer my deepest sympathies to his family, friends, colleagues and cricket lovers from all parts of the world. Having worked in England for 5 years and returned there for the last 4 Ashes series I became a firm fan of his radio work as well as the Playfair Annual. I ventured up to the TMS box at Headingly in 1993 (as only an Aussie would do) to meet the team and have just opened my scrapbook of that tour. Would you believe it opened on the very page were Bill had written a lovely note just below Johners signature. Enjoy the cake gentlemen. Thanks Bill for the extra something special to brought to our great game. Well played.
Diane in Perth, Western Australia

as a an avid tms listner i feel as if i have lost a close family member and friend rolled into one god bless you friend and may he bring peace solace and understanding to your family

According to CricInfo he caught the illness in Dubai and had been increasingly seriously ill for more than a week. I find it distressing that with an England tour and Test series just starting that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ did not report that he was gravely ill, even if he was not going to score for TMS on the tour.

What a terrible loss to TMS and the cricketing world in general. Few people in broadcasting are irreplacable, but Bill, sadly, is. Thanks for all the pleasure you gave me and millions of others.

Some mornings you just cannot escape the fact that the world is a lesser place than it was when you went to bed and
this is one of those days.

I never met the great man and yet he always felt like a friend to me.

Like so many others I would be enormously grateful if the ´óÏó´«Ã½ would pass on my sympathy and condolences to his family.

For me, Bill Frindall has been an essential part of Cricket, all my life. An essential part of Cricket.

It really is the end of an era for all TMS followers. Thanks Bill for being part of such a wonderful team that bought so many hours of listening pleasure to so many of us. You'll be greatly missed by all of us.

Farewell Bill

Bill a legend to cricket and TMS. The TMS listeners and all will remember you for your estonishing facts through out a cricket.

My thoughts are with Bills family.

RIP Bill,

A cricket legend is his own right and thank you Bill for all the insight you gave us

I was four years older than Bill Frindall and at the same school. I found in, 1950 that I could bowl quite well (8 wickets for 5 runs in my first School Junior match). During 1950 to 1953 I practiced bowling most days in the playground - except in February when I took a break. In the late sixties Bill came to me and asked me to take his photo for a book cover. Then he mentioned that my constant interest in cricket in the early fifties encouraged him towards his own interest in the game. How sad that he won’t be on the commentaries again. My sympathy to his family
from Bill Northrop

r.i.p

Met Bill at Old Trafford during last Ashes series when he was promoting his book.

An absolute gentleman who was so patient with my youngest lad who was fasinated with one of his scorebooks.

My sincere condolences to his real and sporting family.

Scoring is not going to be the same again.

Bill you alway's kept us up to date, you kept the unruley commentators in line and you alway's had a humerous anicdote to share with us.

I will miss you, god bless you and your family

Bill approached his job with the accumulative eye of Bradman.

But he also had the charm and grace of a Sobers on and off the pitch or rather commentary box!

Condolences to all Bill's nearest & dearest, who will miss this big man even more than we will.

RIP Mr Legend

Even though I'm only 16, I for one will miss hearing his scoring and how he went about his business. It's not just the older generation upset by this news; us younger members of the community realised his work and he will be deeply missed. A saddening day, and one that came as a shock.

RIP.

Tribute to Bill (The Bearded Wonder) from my time at RAF Odiham.

It is with great sadness that we hear of the loss of a lovely Gentleman. Bill supported my endeavours alongside the Cricket Team at RAF Odiham, and in particular our charitable efforts for The Muscular Dystrophy Group (TMDG).

Bill raised a team of friends in our Charity Cricket Challenge 1997/8, where with the help of many, we raised over £1,000 to become TMDG Champions. No small part of this was down to Bill and his colleagues.

We loved those special two years of Bills' company and duly pay our respects to his wonderful family at this very sad time. Wellsy and friends formerly of RAF Odiham Cricket Club.

Bill,

Johnners and Fred will be waiting for you at the gates.

God bless you.

I never knew Bill Frindall but I have listened to him for many years and scored cricket matches for almost as long.


He has touched millions of cricket lovers.

I started listening to TMS a short time before Bill became the scorer, but I can only remember him in that role, so completely did he do the job.

I recall John Major saying the "summers will never be the same" after the passing of Johnners, and surely exactly the same comment - if not even more so - applies to the passing of Bill/ Bearders.

Thanks Bill - I am sure that you will now be keeping score at an even higher level!

And so the Great Scorer is called up for the final time by the Greatest Scorer.

W. Frindall: ... run out (Legionnaires) - 69

He will be missed.

As a life long cricket fan I grew up with TMS and in particular the erudite and charming Bill. He always seemed, to me the voice of sanity in an often-tumultuous commentary box! I will miss him and know that his family and friends will of course mourn his passing but more verdantly take joy in knowing him.

Bill Frindall, 'The Bearded Wonder': TMS, the TMS Commentary Box and Cricket in general will never be quite the same again with Bill's dimissal.

To all his family I offer my deepest symathy and also the comfort of knowing that brought a huge amount of pleasure to me and millions of others.

And what else can I say about his dismissal: 'Bit of an unfair decision, Umpire' !

Thanks for everything, Bill.

When I found out yesterday I just couldn't believe it, I didn't know what to say. TMS is like a family, a family who make sitting up through the very early and very late hours listening to the cricket, through the good times and the bad times so enjoyable. Bill was such a popular and important member of this family, I feel as though I've lost a friend. TMS will never be the same, and everyone will miss The Bearded Wonder so much. Thank you Bill for all you brought to TMS and cricket, it means so much to us all and we only now realise how much, you never know what you've got until it's gone.

:(

My thoughts are with his family and friends

Very very very beloved Bill
It’s hard to believe it was God’s will.
Highly premature was His call,
Cricket enthusiasts miss certain thrill!
*
Without stats cricket nears nil,
Records disclose stories to tell,
Accurate archives organised by Frindall
Magnify achievements of the game with ball.
*
History reveals the records to all,
Stats aid to value as measuring scale.
Every player looks back proudly after-all,
In his cricket career as a whole.
*
One has to recall the books of Bill
As a fan or player to read fascinating tales
Of a cricket Match that played its role;
Coul’d be recalled from Frindall’s reels.
*
Bill had to follow His sudden call!
To deprive millions of cricket ardent fans,
Was He Himself so curious to know as well,
About Cricket’s fascination directly from Frindall?
*
Divided support the Fans one’s own Team;
United was their appreciation to Frindall.
Without his archives is like a team without seam.
Well done, thank you so much dear Bill.
*
- Mahendra, Berlin 01.02.09

It's two days since Bill died and I still can't believe it. I met him once at the Trent Bridge test a couple of summers ago when he signed his new autobiography. Charming, and accurate as ever, he asked whether I spelled John with or without an h. He was a wonderful man, much loved by longstanding cricket worshippers such as me and my cricket buddy Phil. Please let us know if there's going to be a memorial service that we could attend to bid him properly farewell.

another of life's great constants gone. He was a wonderfully stayed and grounded presence among the glorious characters and egos of TMS. It was always instructive to hear the respectful silence of his more famous and illustrious colleagues when he had something to say.

Very sad. Thoughts with his family and friends

You kind of hope that people like Bill Frindall would carry their bat.

Condolences to all his family and friends

You will be missed but you will be remembered fondly

I left the UK in 1978 and have not listened to TMS since. But I still read all about it every summer. I have fond memories of many happy hours listening to it during the decade before I left. After all these years, when I think of TMS I still think of John Arlott, Brian Johnston and Bill Frindall. It was a real shock to read Friday that the last of these three greats is no longer with us. I still have trouble believing it. The last time I felt like this about a cricket death was when I read of Freddie's death in 2006.

My condolences to his family. We all know he is even more irreplaceable for you than he is for us.

Like all I will miss Bill

I wonder though what if we had a Margaret Rutherford (Miss Marples) character take his place.

I'm sure Bill would look down laughing and of course be counting.

I spoke to Bill (I can't think of anyone calling him Mr. Frindall) several times in connection with a marathon cricket match. He was enthusiastic, encouraging and friendly, far more so than I had hoped or expected.

Bill sent a hand written note wishing us good luck for the event which I will treasure.

He ranks alongside the greats of cricket commentry. Arlott, Johnners and the Bearded Wonder, all irreplacable and all sadly missed.

Charles Sheldrick
Cheriton Fitzpaine CC

Very sad day for cricket.

TMS will never be the same without him

a walking encyclopedia of cricket will surely be missed. the famous trio of John Arlott, Brian Johnston and Bill Frindal still stay fresh in my memory- I was lucky.

I grew up listening to Bill and seems as if a little piece of my childhood has gone. It is a loss for the cricket world.

All our thoughts are with his family.

I am very honoured that my question was mentioned on but the full answer is even more a marker of what this man was to cricket.
Look it up on /blogs/tms/2008/11/ask_bearders_182.shtml . The amount of attention to detail that Bearders had brought the game alive to listeners worldwide. He is already missed in the blog where so many questions will now go unanswered. You can't just go to Cricinfo Statsguru for this stuff. You need a human mind with a passion for the game and a love for the little details.
RIP Bearders.

Bill has been busy upstairs in heaven already. He's just changed the result of the forfeited Eng-Pak test back to an England win!!!

I just had to add my comment, I'll really miss Bill as part of the TMS team. I loved the banter with the rest of the commentators. I think my favourite bits were normally when someone mentioned they had just got an e-mail from a Mr Pittard (I think thats his name) and set Bill a challenge. Bill has inspired many cricket satistians who really do care if they are listerning to the highest 7th wicket parnership at Lords on a Friday!

I am in shock. I have only just found out about Bill and I cannot find the words to describe my feelings. My thoughts are with him and his family, what a loss to world cricket and the to all of us in general. He will be deeply missed.

Peter

Living for 25 years as a US citizen resident ( of Pakistani origin) in a land where cricket is an insect or if mentioned at all a butt of comedians' jokes all of I have to say is that the "Bearded Wonder" is another one of my links to a sport I cherish; gone but never, ever, forgotten! The great John Arlott and the wonder that was Bill Frindall shall forever remain in the commentary box to end the passionate heated arguments of those of us crowded around shortwave radios. 'Shhh! listen for they speak."
Alas they speak but we hear no more.
May God bless you for the joy you brought to so many of us throughout the cricketing world.

A landmark has been removed.

Iwas fortunate enough to have met bill some 30 years or so ago when i lived in london.
I have emailed him a query or two ever since i lived in Toronto, Canada.
He seemed like so much a part of the game of cricket as the players themselves.I know that i shall miss his wit and off the cuff coments in his replies.
Sincere condolences to his family,including the TMS team.
Regards,
Orville Carter

Here in Australia we often get a bit behind with important news, so I've only just heard about Bill. As a professional statistician, I can only say he had the best job in the world, and did it as well as it could be done. I don't think the cricket world will appreciate just how important Bill was for a year or so, for this is a game where the numbers matter as much as the playing of it. Bill was not only a great recorder of these statistics, but also a very knowledgeable historian of the game. More than any member of the TMS team, he is irreplaceable.

What? I can't believe it! What happened?
Just the other day i read his latest column, now he's gone! I'm absolutely shocked!

Having been a cricket nut since I can remember I grew up listening to Bill and the team
Summer days driving in the car or sitting in the deck chair listening to TMS will not be the same.

He was the perfect man for the job, and he will be remembered along with Arlott, BJ and the other greats of cricket broadcasting.

I only heard the sad news yesterday (as an avid listener of Radio 5 - the News and Sport station - I am surprised it took so long! Why not a top story?! Anything happens to Dr Who actors and it's everywhere on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ - Bearders' untimely death - barely anything - shame)

I never met Bill but he was a part of my life every summer. I will miss him dearly. Even on the Western Terrace the people around would hush to listen to Bill's latest stat.

I really hope that his family and that the TMS team are doing ok. Looking at the blog it's clear that our hearts go out to you at this difficult time.

Bill will be sorely missed.

just got pc back up and running. Just wanted to say what a sad loss to cricket, sport and radio the bearded wonders death is. I hope there will be a tribute to him at some point in todays commentry

Bill was an amazing addition to the game of cricket. He somehow made everyone aware of the world of scoring without letting it loose any of its complexity, infact he made it seem even more mysterious and magical.
He truely was a wonder and listening to TMS today without him will be very strange.

Bearders was brilliant at his job and will be sorely missed.

Actually TMS in the Windies is missing something?

30 odd for 2 and no bearders ......

Goodbye Bearders you will be greatly missed. TMS will never be the same again. A true undisputed legend in his field.

An innings cut cruelly short by a bad umpiring decision. I'm sure that he will be accepting his dismissal with the good grace and humour that were his hallmark. Back in the pavilion with Johnners and Fred hoping for no more dismissals in the middle order.

Memories of Bill: Some time in the 70's (England/Aust 1975?) before Bill was allowed unrestricted access to a microphone, often notes were passed from scorer to commentator. Brian Johnston announced "Bill's just passed me a note." (Rustle of paper being unfolded.) "It says..... Your chair is on my foot!"

Wheezing stifled laughter from Jonners.

I was painting a bedroom ceiling at the time and almost fell of the ladder.

RIP Bill, you will be so sadly missed.

Bill was fantastic. As soon as I knew Bill was scoring a match and this might only be once he spoke on air, I would get really excited. With Bill present I now knew we would get his comments on air about the statistical minutia of cricket or simply the match updates. When someone was approaching or created a new cricketing record, Bill would read out other top statistical achievements related in this particular statistical mile stone. Often these would include years such as 1932, 1948 and so on. Bill brought a sense of cricketing history. I may not have heard all the test matches of the past, commentators might not know about all the tests matches of the past but Bill had the statistics of all the tests matches of the past. If he didn't then I believe his wife would phone them in, as I seem to remember hearing once.

If someone objected to a ICC status of a test match and refused to include it in their statistics they would simply get told by their client or bosses to include it or else. Well everyone that is expect Bill. Bill was so important he could set his own rules which were always based on his moral beliefs and not some whim.

I wouldn't have the concentration Bill had in order to score. I couldn't score as neatly as Bill. I don't even have a huge interest in the study of maths. However I just love cricketing statistics, the more exact and/or obscure the better, and this is solely down to Bill.

I recommend people read Bills autobiography. It's a fascinating read and in celebration of Bill's life, have a drink of some "falling over water" (Frindall).

i'm very sad to hear the news, so long Bill " bearders" Frindall, thanks for the happy times