NEARLY half-a-century after penning the ode to cricket that was ‘Dreadlock Holiday,’ 10cc’s Graham Gouldman is heading to Abergavenny’s Borough Theatre later this year for a solo performance.

No doubt fans will be clamouring for a rendition of one of his most famous hits after Gouldman was in the news this week when he attended his first ever cricket match.

The fans at The Oval who spotted the 10cc singer reportedly couldn’t believe it was his first time.

The songwriter of cricket’s most famous anthem may have waited nearly 47 years to hear the sound of leather on willow in the flesh, but he was bowled over by the experience and quite batty about it!

"After the experience, I can say 'I don't like cricket, I absolutely love it'," the 79-year-old told BBC News after watching England beat the West Indies in a one-day international.

He added, "I've had a really lovely day really, enjoyed it... great atmosphere, great people.

"I just had a wonderful time."

‘Dreadlock Holiday’ was written after Goldman went on holiday in Jamaica in the late seventies and asked a local if he liked cricket, to which he replied, “Oh no…I love it!”

That simple, innocuous line gave birth to a song that would become an earworm —an earworm that would become an anthem — and an anthem that would almost become an institution.

A worldwide number one, ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ has been played at more cricket matches than you can shake a stick, or in this case, bat at.

England cricketer Phil Tufnell has branded it as the “soundtrack to my cricket career.”

He explained, “Whenever we were touring, it was always on.

“Also I’m pretty sure when I came out of the second jungle on ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’, that was the tune I came out to.”

Asked if experiencing cricket up close and personal would inspire him to write another hit like ‘Dreadlock Holiday,’ Gouldman replied, “When you have had a nice experience like this I’m sure somewhere, at one point, something will crop up in a song.”

And who knows? If you’re in the audience for Gouldman’s gig at Abergavenny’s Borough Theatre this September, you might get to hear one of its first airings, alongside other 10cc classics such as ‘Rubber Bullets’ and ‘I’m Not in Love.’

Following his sold-out UK tour in March, Gouldman has announced extra UK tour dates for his highly acclaimed semi-acoustic show Heart Full of Songs for September.

Performing songs from his celebrated back catalogue, including chart hits for 10cc, The Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, The Yardbirds, Wax and selected tracks from his solo albums, including his latest, the widely acclaimed ‘I Have Notes,’ Gouldman will be backed by 10cc bandmates Keith Hayman and Andy Park, with Dave Cobby and Ben Stone each doing percussion for three of the concerts.

Gouldman said, “The March tour was such a success, and we enjoyed doing the shows so much, that I wanted to squeeze in some more between other commitments the band members have.

“It’s only six shows, but we are really looking forward to taking Heart Full of Songs back on the road again, to a yet wider audience.”

Gouldman formed what became Heart Full of Songs eleven years ago, purely for the pleasure of playing his songs acoustically, and the format has since proved so popular that he now tours the show across the UK every two years, in between his sold-out 10cc tours.

Needless to say, for lovers of perfectly-crafted music performed by the composer, a Heart Full of Songs concert is truly an exquisite experience. As Gouldman maintains, “A good song can always be performed acoustically.”

Gouldman’s status as one of the world’s leading songwriters was acknowledged in 2014 with his induction into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame – an arm of America’s National Academy of Music.

Previous inductees include Noel Coward, Irving Berlin, Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney.

You can catch him at Abergavenny’s Borough Theatre on September 27. Contact the Box Office for tickets and prices.