Gower bowled out at Sky to make way for lady cricketer

He was once the golden boy of english cricket, but now David Gower’s distinguished innings of 20 years at sky sports Cricket is drawing to a close amid acrimonious claims of foul play.

For I learn Gower, 61, has been at the receiving end of some hostile bowling by sky bigwigs, who want him to make way for former england cricketer Isa Guha, 33, who is being lined up as his successor as lead anchor of the programme.

The glamorous Guha was once ranked the number one female bowler in the world and played for england for a decade. Friends complain Gower is a victim of the broadcaster’s quest for diversity.

‘Like all broadcasters they want to freshen up the programme and it seems Gower is looking a bit older than they would like,’ says my man with the pads.

‘He might be more expensive, too. If it was a case of money, he would happily take a pay cut to still be in the chair.’

In the world of cricket commentating age has traditionally come before beauty. Henry ‘Blowers’ Blofeld retired from the radio last summer aged 78 and the legendary Brian ‘Johnners’ Johnston continued until his death aged 81. Gower will be covering this summer’s ICC Cricket world Cup and the ashes tour in august, both of which are being fought out on home soil. He is currently on a one-man theatre tour of england called On The Front Foot talking about his glorious career, during which he was described as the most stylish left-handed batsman of the eighties and became the fourth-highest test run scorer of all time.

sky sports TV and Gower declined to comment.

Gower has, of course, been here before. He was ruthlessly sacked as england captain in 1989 and then rejected as a player before being unexpectedly recalled to the team. will history repeat itself?