David Gower is a former England cricket captain and highly accomplished player, often described as one of the most stylish left-handed batsmen of all time. He is England’s 6th highest-capped test player and 4th highest test run-scorer of all time. His success was widely documented in the media, and he is without a doubt an incredibly funny, charismatic man.

Where was David Gower Born?

Gower (full name David Ivon Gower) was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England on April 1st 1957. However, he spent several of his childhood years in Dar es Salaam, the capital city of what was then known as Tanganyika Territory (now Tanzania). His father, Richard Gower OBE (a title which David would also later achieve) worked for the Colonial Service for many years.

The Gower family returned to England when David was six and Tanganyika finally received independence. He attended Marlborough House School in Hawkhurst, then received a scholarship to Canterbury’s The King’s School. He honed his cricket skills while at The King’s School, and made its First XI at just 14 years old. Soon, he became captain — a role he would later take on at a national level.

David Gower: A British Legend of Cricket

Gower earned a great degree of popularity and respect during his long sporting career. He made his professional debut with Leicestershire County Cricket Club in 1975, and started to build a name for himself during his first List A season. This won him retention for the following season, during which he consistently demonstrated his formidable talent.

In 1976, Gower played for the England Young Cricketers for the first time, and went on to attend his first Ashes Tests in Australia in 1978. This would be the start of a long and successful career with England’s national cricket team. He began serving as England’s vice-captain in 1982 (still only in his mid-twenties), and racked up amazing scores during many matches. This led him to become team captain for the 1984 series versus the West Indies.

Soon after, he achieved an incredible 732 runs in the 1985 Ashes (a record at the time), which became known as his “golden season”. By the end of 1986, though, Gower was no longer an England captain, and stepped down as Leicestershire’s captain too.

During his time as a professional cricketer, Gower was known for his uniquely laidback playing style. His relaxed demeanour, dry humour, and clear intelligence helped him become a regular presence on television after his sports career ended.

Charting the Life of the England Cricket Legend

After leaving cricket, David Gower went on to establish himself as a popular television presenter and commentator. He enjoyed a long association with Sky Sports, alongside fellow England cricketer and broadcaster Ian Botham, for 25 years. Many people will also recognise him from his eight-year run on the BBC’s hugely successful comedy panel game show They Think it’s All Over.

Gower also played cricket for Public Schools against English Schools, and eventually played several matches for the Leicestershire Second XI. When he missed out on a place at Oxford University and initially chose not to attend University College London, Gower became a professional player for Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

He eventually dipped his toe back into the world of education by studying law at University College London for six months. But Gower found the lure of professional cricket irresistible, and left his place on the course to take up the bat once more.

David Gower and They Think It’s All Over

David Gower may have been a critical addition to England’s cricket team for years, but he forged a remarkable television career for himself after retiring from the sport.

They Think It’s All Over was one of Gower’s biggest programmes. This hit BBC comedy panel game show focused entirely on sports, not too dissimilar in concept to A Question of Sport, though the tone was far more adult. The show began on Radio 5, and was originally presented by Des Lynam, with Rory McGrath and Rory Bremner captaining opposing teams.

However, Nick Hancock took over presenting duties when They Think It’s All Over moved to BBC One in 1995. The programme also added two new team captains: Gary Lineker and David Gower (though McGrath served as a regular panelist for the show’s 11-year run).

Gower was a likeable, distinctive presence on They Think It’s All Over. He was often surrounded by professional comedians and presenters, but held his own with his quick wit. He had a memorable on-screen partnership with teammate Lee Hurst for some time, despite (or because of) their contrasting styles. Gower stayed with the show for around eight years, until both he and Lineker resigned in 2003.

A Respected Cricket Presenter and Commentator

David Gower has spent decades presenting cricket-themed television shows and commentating on matches. In 1995, BBC2 began airing Gower’s Cricket Monthly — the first programme on terrestrial television dedicated to cricket. Gower hosted this magazine show for three years, and was joined by various reporters (including former sports stars like Jonathan Agnew and Chris Broad).

However, many young cricket fans will recognise Gower for his long-running career as a Sky Sports commentator. Sadly, Gower and Botham left the channel in 2019 after being key fixtures of the channel’s cricket coverage for so long. The end of Gower and Ian Botham's tenure at Sky Sports coincided with the close of the 2019 Ashes, with Botham describing their time at the channel as “a great ride”. Gower echoed his friend’s sentiment, saying that it was “an absolute joy.”

David Gower: Author and Wine Aficionado

Gower is also a published author, and has worked on a number of books. His literary portfolio includes A Right Ambition, Heroes and Contemporaries (both with Derek Hodgson), his autobiography, and David Gower’s 50 Greatest Cricketers of All Time. Gower is also passionate about wine, having been an avid collector since his early days as a professional cricket player. He teamed with popular online brand, Perfect Cellar, to launch its ‘My Perfect 6’ promotion in 2019.

David Gower’s Support for the World Land Trust

For Gower, conservation is an important issue. He was the first patron of the Programme for Belize, which became the World Wide Land Conservation Trust, and is today the World Land Trust. Late conservationist Gerald Durrell, Durrell’s wife Lee, and nature icon David Attenborough helped to launch the charity in 1989.

The initial goal in founding the trust was to buy and protect vital rainforest territory in Belize. However, the World Land Trust has continued to flourish and has raised vast amounts of money to support conservation since. Specifically, it has generated more than £25 million in funding to buy more than 774,000 acres of endangered land in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.

Gower supports the World Land Trust in various ways. He has authored a number of books and assigned the Public Lending Rights in each one to the World Land Trust’s Green Ink Project. Gower has also persuaded fellow authors to do the same. He has represented the World Land Trust at multiple events, such as an Emeralds for Elephants auction in India in 2011. This raised an incredible $150,000 for the World Land Trust.

Induction into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

David Gower was inducted into the prestigious International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009. The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame was set up that same year to recognise the outstanding achievements of the sport’s biggest names. It was launched in association with the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) as part of the ICC’s centenary celebrations.

Initially, 55 players were selected for induction, with new legends added every year at the ICC Awards event. Gower was one of the original inductees alongside other stars who played on the England cricket team, such as Denis Compton, Sydney Barnes, Ian Botham, and Geoffrey Boycott.

David Gower Receives an OBE and Honorary Doctorate

Gower received an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) from the Queen in 1992. This title is typically awarded to those who make valuable contributions to the worlds of art, science, charity and welfare, or public service.

In 2010, Gower received an honorary doctorate from the University of Winchester for his contribution to sport. He said he was “absolutely delighted”, and that it was a “proud moment”. Gower also said: “[He hadn’t] been studying night and day for the last 30 years for this or even the last three years. It’s a recognition of sports for what has come before.”

Where Is David Gower Today?

David Gower and his family live in Hampshire. He married his wife Thorunn Nash in 1992 at Winchester Cathedral. The couple has two daughters, Sammi and Alex. Gower can also be found right here on Thrillz, providing his beloved fans with personalised video messages where all proceeds go to charity. What a guy!… show more