Dean Du Plessis: The First Visually Impaired Commentator To Cover International Cricket

19 May 2021


ByKal Sajad
BBC Sport


The grunt of a bowler's shipment, the shuffle of the batsman's feet and the crunch of willow striking leather.


These noises - which typically go unnoticed by cricket fans - are all that are required for analyst Dean du Plessis to communicate what is occurring to his audience.


The 44-year-old Zimbabwean, who was born with tumours behind both retinas, is the very first aesthetically impaired commentator to cover worldwide cricket.


"Commentating by noise is absolutely nothing incredible," he modestly states.


"I have a feed from the stump microphone, no other innovation, and just listen extremely, very thoroughly; as much as sighted individuals pay close attention to what they're seeing, that's what I do."


Speaking to BBC Sport, Du Plessis discusses the origins of his love for cricket, his journey into the commentary box and the methods he uses when calling the action.


in love through the sound of cricket


Du Plessis is true cricket fanatic, whose commentary is typically matched with the most obscure statistics from years passed.


But he was not constantly a fan of the sport.


"My sibling Gary was an extremely, excellent cricketer however I didn't understand the video game when I was young," he states.


"Nobody really took time out to describe cricket to me and I actually disliked and hated that with an enthusiasm."


Born in Harare, Du Plessis later on went to study at boarding school in South Africa which is where his accessory to cricket initially surfaced.


In 1991, South Africa travelled to India in what was their readmission to global cricket with the nation's apartheid routine concerning an end.


"I was listening to the third match of the series on Radio 2000, South Africa's comparable to Test Match Special," Du Plessis says.


"All I heard was sound, that's all I can explain, it was simply a sound of about 60 or 70,000 Indian fanatics cheering and likewise continuously releasing fireworks.


"And slightly through the sound of cheering and fireworks far away, you might hear an analyst trying to inform you what was going on and I didn't comprehend what he was saying.


"It was something like 'in comes Donald to Tendulkar, through square leg, past the umpire, down to backward square leg, the fielder picks up and they go through for a single'.


"I understood little bits about cricket but I didn't learn about backward square leg and things like that.


"But I began to listen and actually enjoy it. I don't know why due to the fact that I didn't understand what they were saying, but each time it opted for 4 or a six, I might feel the enjoyment structure."


Phoning cricket stars and 'being a pest'


As Du Plessis' affection for the game grew, he set off on an objective to connect to his new-found heroes.


While the modern sports fan may direct message Ben Stokes or tag Jofra Archer, Du Plessis would rather just look for Zimbabwe cricketers in the regional telephone directory site.


"I would then have their number and phone using a call box from school, hoping my money wouldn't run out and just wishing to talk cricket with these players," he states.


"I was a real bug and the main poor victim was bowler Eddo Brandes, he was a chicken farmer and sometimes I would call him after I had actually ended up school at 8pm and he had to literally be up with the chickens at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning.


"He 'd be a bit bad-tempered at very first once he was up and awake he was extremely, extremely ready to chat. I also used to phone Alastair Campbell who was really kind to me as were both the Flower siblings, Grant and Andy."


But it was previous Zimbabwe batsman David Houghton - now head coach at Derbyshire - who Du Plessis actually struck up a relationship with.


"Dave was simply a water fountain of details, but what I really appreciate was he didn't simply answer my concerns but he would ask all about me too," includes Du Plessis.


"Once my money will go out and he requested my number to call me back, and we spoke for a great 20 minutes."


From fan to analyst


Having completed his studies, Du Plessis went back to Zimbabwe with a network of superstar cricket good friends.


"It was the cricketers - the Flower bros, Houghton, Campbell, Brandes - that made me feel very, really welcome and would invite me to come see them play," he says.


Du Plessis soon ended up being a routine at national grounds and, having actually been given the freedom to stroll around the media centres, was rubbing shoulders with broadcasters and cricket press.


During an international triangular series in between Zimbabwe, India and West Indies in 2001, he was invited to sign up with journalist Neil Manthorp, who was on old-fashioned buddy, and former India batsman Ravi Shastri for a 15 minute chat on the Cricinfo website's online radio broadcast.


Du Plessis' understanding and enthusiasm impressed both the broadcast team and those back at head office.


"It was suggested to just be a brief discussion on my satisfaction of cricket however Neil received an e-mail from the workplace halfway through," he states.


"The producers wanted to keep me on for the complete thirty minutes and make sure I belonged of the remainder of the series.


"Which's pretty much how my commentary began. I then got my very first tv gig 2 years."


How does he do it?


Du Plessis is frequently asked how he handles to recognize what is occurring on the field.


"Well, I do not have any extra innovation or extra stump mic or anyone informing me what's going on," he addresses.


"I can tell you who the different bowlers are by the way they approach the crease.


"With Stuart Broad, for example, there's a little bit of a dragging noise as the ball is provided he gives an explosive grunt as he gets to the wicket.


"Some approach the crease really silently, like Freddie Flintoff who barely made a sound, whereas Shane Warne, as a leg-spinner, had a huge grunt."


Du Plessis can also identify which batter is on strike through the sound of their voice, and the instructions in which the ball is struck by the noise it escapes the bat.


"In terms of batting you just listen extremely thoroughly to how the batters interact with each other," he states.


"When Andrew Strauss and Marcus Trescothick utilized to bat together, Trescothick would always simply state "run" when he struck the ball whereas Strauss would state "Yeah begun, begin, come on".


"And when the ball is struck through the off side, it has a really sharp, crack noise, rather than the ball being played through the leg side.


"I can also inform when sweep shots are being played due to the fact that you can hear the bat hitting the ground with a scraping noise."


'I think I have actually found my niche'


A life time of listening to cricket combined with the capability to acknowledge individuals by noise, touch and odor has enabled to Du Plessis to create a successful career as a broadcaster.


A speaker of his own cricket podcast, he states his commentary work might require to take a rear seats due to health factors.


"I think I will have to do less of the commentary which's primarily due to the truth that I've lost rather a bit of my hearing, especially in my left ear," he discusses.


"Apparently that's a typical thing with blind individuals due to the fact that we use our ears so enthusiastically.


"But I think I have actually found my niche in hosting, presenting and doing podcasts. I would enjoy to progress my broadcasting profession and possibly emigrate from Zimbabwe, preferably to a cricket-playing country."


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