Interview with Henry Blofeld
Harrison Burridge interviews Henry Blofeld ahead of COI 2026
Cricket On Ice will have cricketing royalty present in the commentators' box, with Henry Blofeld invited to be a part of the 2026 edition.
Many will be familiar with Blofeld from his distinguished career with Test Match Special, spanning 45 years.
However, despite all of that experience on an international stage, what awaits Blofeld in St Moritz is going to be totally different.
“I have always enjoyed coming and doing something new, and I suppose I had heard of it (Cricket On Ice), because I went to St Moritz some years ago with the Cresta Run people,” said Blofeld. “It was in the summer, and there was a game of cricket then, which was obviously not on ice, and it was a time of a car rally, which I think is an annual event, I believe.
“It was the greatest possible fun, and I thought Cricket On Ice, what fun. I have watched cricket in many strange parts of the world over my lifetime with cricket. Cricket On Ice is a first, and I was thrilled (upon receiving the invitation).”
The 2026 tournament is taking place across four days from February 11th to February 14th, with eight teams competing across two groups in a round robin format.
The final day, Saturday 14th February, which has been named Members Day by the St Moritz Cricket Club, will see the teams battle it out for placings, including the final.
Despite the unknown of what to expect, Blofeld is set to take everything in his stride.
“It will be great fun,” he said. “I have not watched Cricket On Ice, and like I say, I’m all for doing new things. I can’t tell you what it is going to be like until I get there and do it.
“It sounds terrific fun, and I can’t wait. Nor can my wife. We are both coming to St Moritz and are full of vim and vigour, looking forward to it.”
Blofeld, who was awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting in 2003, commentated on many famous moments from England’s cricketing history.
His broadcasting career saw him take in many overseas tours and World Cups, including covering the opening ceremonies of the 1999 and 2003 tournaments.
But, for him, two moments stand out most, and naturally they both took place in cricket’s oldest rivalry – the Ashes between England and Australia.
“I remember taking the last wicket when I was on air in that famous win of England’s in 1981 at Headingley when Ian Botham made 149 not out, and Australia, having looked like winning the match by an innings and plenty, suddenly found themselves having to make 130 in the last innings, and they were bowled out for 111,” Blofeld added.
“I was on air at the end when (Bob) Willis bowled (Ray) Bright. That was a great moment.
“Another great moment was towards the end, before I gave up in 2017. In 2015 at Trent Bridge, when England put Australia into bat and bowled them out for 60 before lunch, and Broad took 8/15.
“I remember I did the first 20-minute spell, and I think I took four wickets in my spell. It was really good fun.”
When Blofeld’s time with TMS came to an end in 2017 after the Lord's Test between England and the West Indies, he received a rather unique send-off.
Given the impression he was walking across the middle of the ground for the end-of-match presentations, he was suddenly swept up in a wave of a standing ovation from the Lord’s crowd as his path instead took him around the boundary.
“That was extraordinary,” he continued. “I don’t think it has ever happened before, and I don’t think it will ever happen again.
“It was something that just happened. I didn’t know this, I thought I was going across the ground to help with the prize giving and the presentations at the end of the match, and suddenly I found myself walking around the ground being told we couldn’t walk across the middle because the ground staff didn’t want us to.
“Suddenly, I realised what had happened, and I don’t think anyone knew the crowd would stay, and 30,000 people were going to stand and cheer. It was one of those extraordinary things.
“I don’t think it has ever happened to a cricketer. Ridiculous that it happened to a lowly commentator, but there we are.
“It didn’t sink in at the time. I felt almost embarrassed. I still think about it, and it can’t really be true, but it was, and deeply, deeply grateful.”
Blofeld is set to commentate on all four days of Cricket On Ice, with four games taking place each day across two pitches on Lake St Moritz.
Despite the obvious differences between Cricket On Ice and most professional cricket, Blofeld explained he isn’t going to change his commentary approach, and in turn, provided invaluable insight for any budding broadcasters.
“Commentators who look to bring things don’t work,” he said. “You don’t try and do it, you try and talk about what is in front of you. You use your vision, your knowledge of cricket and your sense of humour.
“Cricket On Ice is going to produce a great deal of humour. I have actually, funnily enough, my wife was just reminding me, I have actually not exactly commentated on Cricket On Ice, although I expect I did for about a minute on an ice flow in Iceland about 25 years ago.
“The snow and ice won’t be totally foreign, but I don’t think it will have taught me anything. A commentary should be fun, and in a situation like that, you want laughter rather than applause.”
With a week to go until Cricket On Ice, the excitement is ramping up to new heights each day.
St Moritz Cricket Club, Guards Cricket Club, German Cricket Club, Flamingo Cricket Club, Old Cholmeleians XI, Lyceum Alpinum XI, Touring Cavaliers XI and Tallinn Hippos Cricket Club make up the field.
One of those sides, the Touring Cavaliers, won’t be strangers to Blofeld either.
“From the moment we take off from City Airport, it will be great,” he said. “It will be great fun to talk about over the years to come too. I can’t wait to get there and see it all.
“It is going to be the greatest possible fun, and I know one side coming, the Touring Cavaliers, with Bill Johnson. I know Bill quite well and all of that, so it will be great fun, and I shall be pulling their legs, and I dare say lots of other people’s legs as well.
“I was very lucky when I was in St Moritz before with the Cresta Run people, I met Rolf Sachs. I didn’t get to know him, but what fun he was, and I very much look forward to meeting him again too.”
About Harrison Burridge
Harrison Burridge is a freelance social media manager and sports journalist working for a range of organisations, including Cricket On Ice and the England 60s & 70s Cricket Teams.