Playing favourites

The flamboyant Denis Compton 8216;played cricket for fun and made it look like fun8217;. Dashing and unorthodox, he would invent his own strokes. Pictures of his dancing down the wicket are unforgettable. He was also a soccer international and once ran Vijay Merchant out with a well-aimed kick!

Swedish tennis stars Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander caught my fancy in the seventies and eighties. Borg8217;s amazing run of five successive Wimbledon titles and his duels with John McEnroe are legendary. His bag of 11 majors was fantastic but, surprisingly, he could never win the US Open! It was easier to understand why Wilander, with three majors in 1988, could not add the Wimbledon title, as he was vulnerable on grass. But I loved him anyway.

Michael Schumacher made Formula One racing an exciting and glamorous spectacle. He retired last year and the thrill has gone out of the circuit.

Back to Steve, who burst upon the golfing scene in 1976 as a teenager. He won the British Open at 21 and the Masters at 23. He brought youthful energy, exuberance and emotion into what was a staid game. His iron play, recoveries and improvised shots were pure magic. His passion and commitment led to Europe snatching the Ryder Cup in 1985 at a time when it had become routine US property.

After Steve, no more favourites.

I am getting far too old for that sort of thing!