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 delivery, the shuffle of the batsman's feet and the crunch of willow striking leather.
These noises - which typically go undetected by - are all that are required for analyst Dean du Plessis to relay what is taking place to his audience.
The 44-year-old Zimbabwean, who was born with tumours behind both retinas, is the first visually impaired analyst to cover global cricket.
"Commentating by sound is nothing amazing," he modestly states.
"I have a feed from the stump microphone, no other innovation, and just listen very, really carefully; as much as sighted people pay very close attention to what they're seeing, that's what I do."
Speaking to BBC Sport, Du Plessis explains the origins of his love for cricket, his journey into the commentary box and the methods he utilizes when calling the action.
Falling in love through the noise of cricket
Du Plessis is true cricket aficionado, whose commentary is typically matched with the most odd stats from years gone by.
But he was not constantly a fan of the sport.
"My bro Gary was an extremely, very good cricketer however I didn't understand the game when I was young," he states.
"Nobody actually took time out to explain cricket to me and I actually hated and loathed that with an enthusiasm."
Born in Harare, Du Plessis later went to study at boarding school in South Africa which is where his accessory to cricket initially surfaced.
In 1991, South Africa took a trip to India in what was their readmission to international cricket with the country's apartheid regime pertaining to an end.
"I was listening to the third match of the series on Radio 2000, South Africa's equivalent to Test Match Special," Du Plessis states.
"All I heard was noise, that's all I can explain, it was just a noise of about 60 or 70,000 Indian enthusiasts cheering and likewise continuously releasing fireworks.
"And vaguely through the noise of cheering and fireworks far away, you might hear a commentator attempting to inform you what was going on and I didn't understand 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 selects up and they go through for a single'.
"I understood bits about cricket however I didn't understand about backward square leg and things like that.
"But I started to listen and actually enjoy it. I don't understand why due to the fact that I didn't understand what they were stating, however each time it opted for four or a six, I could feel the enjoyment building."
Phoning cricket stars and 'being an insect'
As Du Plessis' love for the video game grew, he triggered on an objective to reach out to his new-found heroes.
While the modern-day sports fan may direct message Ben Stokes or tag Jofra Archer, Du Plessis would quite just browse for Zimbabwe cricketers in the local phone book.
"I would then have their number and phone utilizing a call box from school, hoping my cash wouldn't go out and simply wishing to talk cricket with these players," he says.
"I was a real bug and the main bad 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 needed to actually be up with the chickens at three or four o'clock in the early morning.
"He 'd be a bit grumpy in the beginning but once he was up and awake he was very, very going to chat. I likewise 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 really struck up a relationship with.
"Dave was simply a water fountain of details, however what I truly value was he didn't just answer my questions but he would ask all about me too," adds Du Plessis.
"Once my money will go out and he requested my number to call me back, and we spoke for an excellent 20 minutes."
From fan to commentator
Having finished his research studies, Du Plessis returned to Zimbabwe with a network of super star cricket good friends.
"It was the cricketers - the Flower brothers, Houghton, Campbell, Brandes - that made me feel extremely, really welcome and would welcome me to come see them play," he states.
Du Plessis quickly became a routine at national premises and, having been offered the liberty to walk the media centres, was rubbing shoulders with broadcasters and cricket press.
During a global triangular series between Zimbabwe, India and West Indies in 2001, he was welcomed to join reporter Neil Manthorp, who was on traditional friend, and previous India batsman Ravi Shastri for a 15 minute chat on the Cricinfo site's online radio broadcast.
Du Plessis' understanding and interest impressed both the broadcast group and those back at headquarters.
"It was meant to just be a short conversation on my enjoyment of cricket but Neil received an e-mail from the workplace midway through," he states.
"The manufacturers wanted to keep me on for the full thirty minutes and make certain I belonged of the remainder of the series.
"And that's basically how my commentary started. I then got my very first tv gig 2 years."
How does he do it?
Du Plessis is typically asked how he handles to identify what is occurring on the field.
"Well, I don't have any additional technology or additional stump mic or anybody informing me what's going on," he responds to.
"I can tell you who the various bowlers are by the method they approach the crease.
"With Stuart Broad, for example, there's a little a dragging sound as the ball is delivered he provides an explosive grunt as he gets to the wicket.
"Some approach the crease really silently, like Freddie Flintoff who barely made a noise, whereas Shane Warne, as a leg-spinner, had a substantial grunt."
Du Plessis can also figure out which batter is on strike through the sound of their voice, and the instructions in which the ball is hit by the sound it leaves the bat.
"In terms of batting you just listen very carefully to how the batters interact with each other," he states.
"When Andrew Strauss and Marcus Trescothick used to bat together, Trescothick would constantly simply say "run" when he hit the ball whereas Strauss would say "Yeah begun, begin, come on".
"And when the ball is hit through the off side, it has a really sharp, fracture sound, instead of the ball being played through the leg side.
"I can also inform when sweep shots are being played because you can hear the bat hitting the ground with a scraping sound."
'I believe I have found my niche'
A lifetime of listening to cricket combined with the capability to acknowledge individuals by noise, touch and odor has actually made it possible for to Du Plessis to forge a successful career as a broadcaster.
A presenter of his own cricket podcast, he states his commentary work might require to take a rear seats due to health factors.
"I believe I will have to do less of the commentary and that's mainly due to the reality that I have actually lost a fair bit of my hearing, specifically in my left ear," he discusses.
"Apparently that's a typical thing with blind people since we utilize our ears so enthusiastically.
"But I think I have found my niche in hosting, presenting and doing podcasts. I would enjoy to progress my broadcasting career and perhaps emigrate from Zimbabwe, ideally to a cricket-playing country."
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