The first major sporting event I attended was at Lord’s in June 1984. England against the mighty West Indies – boasting Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Lloyd, Marshall and Garner (to name but six).
I was 11, and so the journey via train and underground to St John’s Wood was probably part of the excitement. I was guided through the masses by my father and grandfather – a man very much of the old school, who may well have been wearing a jacket and tie, but definitely insisted on bringing a hamper packed with treats and a chilled bottle of bubbly.
We were lucky enough to be there for the Saturday. West Indies resumed on 119 for 3-167 runs behind England’s first innings score – with Viv Richards and Clive Lloyd at the crease.
We were perched in a stand by the mid wicket boundary. And that is about all I remember of the day apart from one ball delivered by Ian Botham.
He struck his good friend Richards on the pad. He appealed exuberantly for leg before wicket. The whole ground appealed exuberantly for leg before wicket, including an eleven-year-old at mid wicket who did not have a clue whether the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.
The umpire’s finger went up. What a noise. What a moment. I had never experienced anything like it. And It didn’t matter one bit that the umpire later apologised to Viv for getting the decision wrong.
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent
Memory added on February 1, 2021
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