So what has a pretty-sounding Bajan voice got to do with a Brian Lara late cut or a Merv Dillon yorker? A lot. Because there’s something about the roll of that rich, warm feminine voice which makes you tune in. Cricket’s only woman commentator, Donna Symmonds is riding the airwaves, painting word pictures with a passion and swiftness not many of her male counterparts can claim to have shown.A welcome relief in this media male-bastion, Symmonds is a Bridgetown lawyer, first heard during South Africa’s 1992 tour of the West Indies. Concise and direct, she introduced a touch of feminine logic when she gave her opinion on a player or his ability, even displaying a certain shyness.When she showed up in South Africa during the Total Triangular series of 1993, she swiftly demolished gender barriers to earn a huge following. Not because she was attractive; she bowled them over with her style of delivery and the warmth of her voice, attracting a sizeable response.But ever since that 1993 tour, her appearances have been sporadic. Too caught up in her law practice, she has been unable to devote much time to the game. After all, commentary takes time and is an expensive hobby. Doing spot TV shows and commentary got in the way of her job; she found time, though, to do a spot of local commentary and Tony Cozier encouraged her.Now back for the 2003 World Cup, she’s sure to make a huge difference. ‘‘I heard someone talking on the radio once and thought to myself how I’d like to do that. But it took a lot longer to achieve,’’ confesses Symmonds.‘‘I wanted to do it quite badly but knew no one. So I went and offered my services to a local radio station to see how it sounded. They needed some convincing initially but they seemed to like me. They felt I had the voice that counted.’’‘‘Cricket is something that is very special. So when you go on air, you have to be prepared. You have to look at the trends, the new players and tell your listeners what you see, feel and know. It’s giving the players an added voice and you present that picture. This is where knowing the game is so important.’’Almost half a century since Margaret Hughes wrote the delightful All on a Summer’s Day, Donna Symmonds has arrived to make all the difference in commentating on cricket. And she couldn’t have chosen a better time and place to ride the airwaves.
