My friend Graham Ball, who has died aged 69 after a fall, was one of Fleet Street’s old school. His career stretched from tabloid exposés to investigations for the TV series The Cook Report, campaigns for the Independent on Sunday and literary reviews for the Express titles.
A man of wide interests, he took a BA in history at Birkbeck College,
London, in his 50s and worked towards an MA on wartime propaganda in his retirement.
Cricket was a passion. In 1978 he founded the Grub Street Casuals, a team of rackety hacks, and for two decades captained and led the bowling attack.