Thinking about booking a celebrity after dinner speaker from the world of cricket?

Are you in the market for a celebrity appearance at your event, maybe an after dinner speaker? From corporate events to private parties and charity fundraising events, we have celebrities on our books suitable for any occasion.

Opting for a sports personality is always a fairly safe bet; they’re likely to have moments of high drama in their careers that make them interesting speakers, but they often tend to be from quite normal backgrounds, making them easy to relate to.

Footballers or athletes may seem like the most obvious choice, but has the idea of booking a cricketer to speak at your event crossed your mind? Less popular, granted, than football or athletics, cricket is nonetheless a very well attended sport among certain demographics and guests who are less familiar with the sport might find it interesting to find out more.

So, why should you book cricketers as celebrity speakers?

Unlike football or rugby, cricket is a sport at which the English excel – in fact, we’ve even won competitions! England currently holds The Ashes and has enjoyed the upper hand over old rivals Australia several times over the last decade or so.

Cricket is a team sport that is a little bit easier to feel patriotic about than some others we could mention; and with so many brilliant cricket players from this country and further afield on our books, there are loads of amazing stories just waiting to be told.

Graeme Fowler made his debut in 1982 and amassed an impressive number of accolades during his time playing for Durham, Lancashire and England. As a left-hander he was a wild-card player and played a total of 21 Test matches and 26 One Day Internationals for the national team.

Since quitting cricket as a player he’s worked as a broadcaster on Test Match Special and has coached younger players, including Andrew Strauss and Robin Martin-Jenkins, regular England international players. Until the middle of 2015 he was also head coach at Durham University. As a verbose speaker with a plethora of fascinating stories, he’s in demand as a celebrity speaker and is the perfect person to book for an awards ceremony, long service dinner or charity evening.

Brian Lara, too, makes an excellent choice as a former cricketer and an intriguing speaker. The former batsman for the West Indies was one of the most gifted cricket players of his generation, and his name will still strike fear into the heart of any dedicated fan of England!

The captain of Trinidad and Tobago at just 19, Brian is a lively and interesting after dinner speaker with a manner that’s sure to charm cricket fans and others alike. The inspiring tale of his rise to success and his record-breaking time in the spotlight will keep audiences enthralled, making him a top choice to be an after dinner speaker at your event.

For a cricketing celebrity to provide entertainment at your event who’s a little bit different to the sporting heroes of Brian Lara and Graeme Fowler, how about booking the legendary cricketing umpire Mr Dickie Bird as an after dinner speaker for the next event that you’re putting on?

Originally hailing from Barnsley in South Yorkshire, Dickie Bird is as much a cricketing institution as stopping for afternoon tea at Lord’s cricket ground. He won over even the grumpiest players with his infectious sense of humour and was the umpire at more than 60 Test Matches and almost 70 One Day Internationals, at the time a record.

That same sense of humour and unmistakeable Yorkshire charm make Dickie Bird an exceptionally funny celebrity speaker, who can speak eloquently and entertainingly on a slightly different side to cricket, as an umpire rather than a player.

In summary, booking a cricketer as an after dinner speaker is perhaps a less orthodox choice than a footballer or rugby player, but they can offer a unique insight into a game that’s retained plenty of quirky traditions and terminology, making it fascinating to hear about.

Can we help you?

If you’re looking for an after dinner speaker for an event that you’re planning, get in touch with us today; we have cricketers, footballers, rugby players and more on our books, all of whom can provide fantastic entertainment for your guests.

From personal stories to the inside track on famous events and incredibly inspirational struggles, our after dinner speakers will keep everyone at your event entertained.

To make an enquiry, please contact celebrity talent agency MN2S to find out how we can help ensure your event is a roaring success.