Uncharitable, it may be, but it is reassuring to learn that Simon Lewis
- who at 37, is about to ascend to the IPR presidency and whose day job
is that of corporate affairs director designate at British Gas Energy -
has an Achilles heel.
Lewis, it seems, is no Ian Botham. Indeed, he holds the distinction of
having the worst bowling analysis in the history of his old Oxford team,
the Captain Scott Invitation 11.
However, from the 1980 picture above - also including team-mates Private
Eye editor Ian Hislop and, with beer in hand, columnist Marcus Berkmann
- one can see Lewis was already destined to play PR for his country.
As Berkmann says: ‘He was bound to do well in PR. Everyone else is
pulling a face but, like the schmoozer he always was, Simon is smiling
straight at the camera.’