1. Quotes
  2. Authors
  3. Ben Dirs

Ben Dirs Quotes

Ben Dirs is a freelance writer and journalist. He was a sports journalist for the BBC news website from 2001 to 2017. Whilst at the BBC he covered a wide range of major sporting events. He provided live blogging on sports including boxing, golf and rugby for people who cannot watch live television coverage, often for people who live abroad.

Dirs is the author of seven books. He lives in Manchester with his dog Doris, a Boston Terrier.



We Could be Heroes: One Van, Two Blokes and Twelve World Championships with Tom Fordyce published 3 July 2009, charting the madcap escapades that resulted from trying to become the world champion in something.

Karma Chameleons: No-one said the search for happiness would be dignified was published in 2010.

Everywhere We Went: Top Tales from Cricket's Barmy Army about the Barmy Army was published in 2012.

The Hate Game: Benn, Eubank and Boxing's Bitterest Rivalry, documenting the boxing matches between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank was published in 2013.

Box to Box: From Premier League to British Boxing Champion, the autobiography of Curtis Woodhouse was published in 2016.

401: The Extraordinary Story of the Man who Ran 401 Marathons in 401 Days and Changed his Life Forever

Death Row – The Final Minutes Wikipedia  

Ben Dirs: 17 quotes0 likes

Famous Ben Dirs Quotes

“Umpire Billy Bowden is decked by a Jones sweep! How marvellous…I mean what a choker…A sweetly-timed shot by the England batsman, which strikes Bowden on the hip, sending sunnies and walkie-talkie flying. Shame for Jones, that was going for four. Bowden will have secretly loved that, the old drama tart.”

Ben Dirs

Cricket The Ashes First Test, day three as it happened, 2006-11-25, 2007-05-26, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6182630.stm,

“Hayden marches down the pitch towards Collymore, bat raised, as if he's just returned from the theatre to find him rifling through his wife.”

Ben Dirs

West Indies v Australia, 2007-27-03, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/6496463.stm,

“A well-deserved standing ovation from the Lord's faithful and what can you say about any Collingwood innings? Nuggety, earthy, gritty. All hail Ross Kemp - give that man his own cop show on ITV.”

Ben Dirs

England vs West Indies, First Test, day two as it happened, 2006-18-05, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/6668549.stm,

“Monty went beserk, like a toddler who's just been told he can't have a Happy Meal.”

Ben Dirs

England vs West Indies, 1st Test as it happened, 2007-19-05, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6672179.stm,

“I'd imagine Janowicz is a fine lover - a big, bear of a man but with the hands of a miniature portrait painter.”

Ben Dirs

Live - Murray v Janowicz, 2013-07-05, 2013-07-05, BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/23099746, <br class="br">Tennis Commentary

“Having seen the replay, I think Steve Bucknor was right. I like Bucknor, in fact, he might be my only friend.”

Ben Dirs

Cricket The Ashes Second Test, day two as it happened, 2006-12-02, 2007-05-26, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6201018.stm,

Ben Dirs Quotes about the trip

“Hayden hits his fourth four of the over off the final ball, riding a dreamy steer through the covers. Boom boom boom let me hear you say way-ooh.”

Ben Dirs

One-Day Series, Australia v England (Sydney) as it happened, 2007-02-02, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6320205.stm,

“Murali is really struggling out there, he looked like Heather Mills McCartney making her way to bed from her en suite bathroom fielding down at fine-leg.”

Ben Dirs

England v Sri Lanka, 2007-04-04, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/6521515.stm,

“Bit of Toto as Hoffmann makes his way to the middle - "I bless the rains down in Africa!" - smashing. My favourite Toto number is Rosanna. I used to go out with someone called Rosanna. Her mum looked like Cher.”

Ben Dirs

Ben Dirs Quotes

“Colly doing a good, no-frills, manful job for England here, just one from the over. He is to cricket what Jim Taggart is to detective work.”

Ben Dirs

England v Sri Lanka, 2007-04-04, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/6521515.stm,

“I've got a horrible feeling that if United do do the business tonight, Scholes won't be on the pitch in Athens. He may well be the best player England have produced for the last 15 years, but he has all the tackling ability of a granny on roller skates.”

Ben Dirs

Countdown to AC Milan v Man Utd, 2007-05-02, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6614585.stm, <br class="br">Football Commentary

“Just two from the over, Anderson tighter than Andy Fordham's watch strap.”

Ben Dirs

England v Sri Lanka, 2007-04-04, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/6521515.stm,

“I like Monty, I'd like to sit with my arm round him on the sofa all night watching documentaries on BBC Four.”

Ben Dirs

England v West Indies 1st Test, 2007-17-05, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/6672179.stm,

“Anyone seen Kaka's wife? Funnily enough, she's a complete sort. She's the sort of woman who, if she looked you in the eye in a bar and asked you where the fag machine was, you'd start giggling and snort.”

Ben Dirs

Quotes of the Week, 2007-05-09, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/solpda/ifs_sport/hi/newsid_6635000/6635253.stm, <br class="br">Football Commentary

“There's Jamie Murray in the crowd - I assume that's his woman, otherwise her actual boyfriend might be extremely irate.”

Ben Dirs

Live - Murray v Wawrinka, 2009-06-29, 2009-06-29, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/8122619.stm, <br class="br">Tennis Commentary

“Oof! McCullum kerplunks a fuller Sidebottom delivery for what looks a certain four until it smashes into Gillespie's, erm, mummy-daddy button at the non-striker's end and he is denied a run. That had to hurt. Gillespie turns down the opportunity to have it treated by the Kiwi physio - perhaps he's not his type.”

Ben Dirs

England vs New Zealand, 2nd Test as it happened, 2008-16-03, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7299873.stm,

“Embarrassing cricket tales. When I was about 14, my school team played against a school called Langdon, somewhere or other in the wilds of East London. They batted first and racked up 180-3 off 20 overs. We got 13. My PE teacher called it the most humiliating day of his life. Years later, he got done for sex offences. I wonder what he thinks now.”

Ben Dirs

Cricket England v West Indies, First test, day five as it happened, 2007-05-21, 2007-05-26, BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6675703.stm,

Similar authors

Marek Żukow-Karczewski photo
Marek Żukow-Karczewski10
Polish historian, journalist and opinion journalist None
Helen Rowland photo
Helen Rowland13
American journalist None
Alphonse Karr photo
Alphonse Karr3
French critic, journalist, and novelist None
Christopher Morley photo
Christopher Morley30
American journalist, novelist, essayist and poet None
Walt Whitman photo
Walt Whitman181
American poet, essayist and journalist None
Mario Benedetti photo
Mario Benedetti4
Uruguayan journalist, novelist, and poet None
Olavo de Carvalho photo
Olavo de Carvalho6
Brazilian journalist, essayist and professor of philosophy None
Italo Calvino photo
Italo Calvino44
Italian journalist and writer of short stories and novels None
Daniel Defoe photo
Daniel Defoe43
English trader, writer and journalist None
Svetlana Alexievich photo
Svetlana Alexievich8
Belarusian investigative journalist and non-fiction prose w… None