Test Match Special - England v New Zealand: Sensational day for seamers as wickets tumble

Episode Date: June 4, 2026

Simon Mann is alongside former England captain Michael Vaughan, Chief Cricket Commentator Jonathan Agnew, and former New Zealand allrounder Jeremy Coney for reaction to sixteen wickets falling on a frantic first day of the Test at Lord's.Hear from England bowler Ollie Robinson and New Zealand bowler Will O'Rourke.Plus, Aggers speaks to the former England captains who have led the team in a Test match at Lord's, as the venue hosts its 150th Test. Hear from Sir Ian Botham, Alec Stewart, Mike Gatting and Graham Gooch.

You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. So close to play on the first day of the test summer for England's men. Well, it's been a dramatic day, 16 wickets for 200-1 runs in 59 overs, two breaks for bad weather, but plenty of action and plenty to talk about. Michael Vaughan is here, Jonathan Agnew, is here. So, I'm a fundamental question, Michael. 16 wickets. Was it a 16 wicket pitch?

Well, yeah, because it's happened. You know, we've watched throughout the whole day, and the pitch has done plenty. There's been plenty of movement, but there's been a length that the bowlers have been able to bowl, which has been quite a large length, and it's kind of skidded off that length and hitting the top of the stumps.

That's why we've seen so many LBWs. We've seen a few bowls, seen a couple of balls that the batters have left the deliveries. Well, I don't think it's been easy for bat. And actually, I'm smiling and chuckling to myself because if there was ever a day for Basball to be, been out there playing, it was today. I looked at, you know, Harry Brooke, the way that he played, look at Glenn Phillips towards the back end today, playing a few shots, trying to get on the front foot, taking a little bit of a risk.

I think it's the kind of pitch that there is a ball with your name on it. And those that have kind of gotten and done okay have been those that have been aggressive. So Harry Brooke, Glenn Phillips. and I didn't expect and I wouldn't think that England could have dared risk playing that method. But if there was ever a day for the Basball method to have been out there, it was on that kind of pitch today. So perversely, if England had played in the Basball fashion that we've seen in the past, do you think they would have done better than 140? I was a bit of hypothetical.

I mean, you don't know. I just, I think they would have got a few more, yeah. I think they'd have scored a bit quicker and like it wouldn't have been easier and we'd have probably seen some poor stroke. and would have been criticising them up here. But from what I've seen on that pitch today, there's certainly been a number of balls where, you know, we've seen snick-offs and we've seen a lot of LBWs where the players have been kind of on the front foot

playing a forward defence and the balls just thudded into the pads. That tells you that the pitch is a little bit inconsistent in terms of bounds. I've been royally entertained. 16 wickets on day one. I don't think it's a good pitch. I think the MCC would be the first to admit that there's something not quite right with this square at Lourdes.

It's been an issue now for a few years where we've looked at the test match against India last year. Brilliant game and it was a great finish to a test match but the pitch wasn't great and the test match being so good in the end I guess stopped us all talking about the pitch. This isn't a great test match wicket but we're royally entertained and I'm sure we'll have a great test match. Six LBWs, three bold, three-quarter slip,

two caught behind, one quarter short leg and one court at fine leg. That's how the dismissals of PANDA. today. If you take Harry Brooks, if Harry Brooke had been caught on eight, England would have been 90 all out. It's been 61 for six. I mean it's bizarre. New Zealand would have probably been a parity by now or all our England would have been batting again. Yeah, yeah, but that that drop catch and how crucial that's going to prove. But Michael's right I think and not only has it has it done sideways but it is up and down as well and from a batting perspective that's difficult. That that really is that awkward. We've seen Josh Tonga find some bounce, a rock found some

bounce, ball he got root out with. But I think the bowlers have used the slope very well too. And the captains have had them at the right ends, tongue and a rock bowling from the pavilion end with a slope as it is. Both the ability, just to make the ball hold its own on that off stump. It's perfect. They've both got bowlers who are massively effective at that. Robinson on this end sliding the ball down with the slope. So the bowlers have had most things in their favour today. What about Emilio Gay's first day? in Test Creek. Yeah, that's got a long build-up because we have that sort of ceremonies before the start of play. Today there was the silence for the England players who died since there was a last test match in this country.

Then we had the national anthems as well. It's kind of always a big build-up at the start of a test match. Got a long time to kind of think about it standing out there. His first ball in test cricket for four was a lovely friendly full toss. Shinai full bunger outside the off stump. I mean you couldn't have asked for a better ball. It's funny. He'll have dream for that moment for many, many years. And, you know, he'd have watched many test matches, and he'll watch the likes of McGar Bowling.

He's probably bummer bowling. I can't imagine. He probably was like, but what's this? He almost panicked because he got a full toss. But there's not been so many brilliant shots today, but I thought he played possibly the shot of the day. That on drive was a lovely drive. Gets a good ball.

Obviously, we're going to analyse technique and that front foot going across. Maybe the back coming a bit from gully line and kind of going across the ball. What do you mean by the front foot going across, Mike? That front foot kind of presses outside off stump. Which means... That means if the ball knits back,

you're not quite in an alignment to get your back coming down straight towards the line of the ball. And if the ball nibbles away, which does again, he's coming across the line of the ball from what he's come from. So that's something that he might have to iron out. But you can't analyze a debutante on this kind of surface. If you look relaxed, I mean, you can say that.

I mean, he didn't look out of place, did he? I mean, he seemed quite calm. arm. But no, I mean, you know, eight short leg. He looks good at short leg. I wonder how often he's fielded there. It's always the young lad, isn't it? I will whisper to him if I see him in the morning. I see, you don't want to look too good at short leg. You'll have a long time over that late. Yeah, but it's what happens. You do drop people, isn't it?

Ben Bell got dropped. Who's going to do it? Olly Pope gets dropped? Wow, who's going to be a short leg? I mean, it is not going to happen very much these days, but it took a nice catch. I absolutely think the best tactical move of the day Ben Stokes produced. And I think it's the third ball, Ollie Robinson, Devon, Devon. Conway, the first two ball on a perfect length, knit down the slope, we played a forward defence kind of at the inside edge of the bat, suddenly Ben Stokes, it wasn't Ollie Robinson, he went short leg

in, had a leg slip, and suddenly Devin Conway goes a bit further over, that ball knits back against an LBW and then pretty much from that move, short leg was in place and he was in the game. Absolutely, because short leg, I've always argued this, short leg doesn't necessarily get catches, is what it does to the Batsman, the LBW, or the

it's the way it plays around with the batsman and his mind, isn't it? It's more than just caught short leg it's it's what it's what it does yeah and then obviously he's in there for kane williamson gets the catch but that was a brilliant tactical move from ben stokes and there was nearly a run out from a superb piece of fielding from gay at short leg as well as it wasn't just the catch it was also how he fielded it at short leg he was excellent there darrell mitchell just falling over at one point and if the throat hit the stumps he would have been run out let's just go back to england's innings and a couple of dismissal i i totally take the point it was a a tricky pitch

on which to bat today. Jacob Bethel missed his full ball by quite a long way, didn't he? I mean, is that just one of those kind of like hangos from not really playing any red ball cricket? What is it? It was a full ball. He went to sort of clip it through midwicket, but I missed it by a long way was LBW. Yeah, I mean, I think it came back up the slope. Enough, enough for him to miss it by a long way. By a good distance. So again, I can't judge the batting unit on today. I just think it's been a little bit of a lottery you know you look at Harry Brook he has a bit of fortune on eight or nine

twice he was blessed and I think it's that kind of surface that you need a little bit of look you need a little bit of fortune I think if you just try and play the the traditional way and I do think there'll be a ball with your name on it so it's very hard to assess batting on a pitch that's offered so much and there's so much in consistency with the let's hope it gets better I think if the pitch gets better and we can then assess the batting unit a little bit more carefully

but the one thing I will say is I think England will potentially go back to their basball method tomorrow I think they'll probably speak in the dress room and go okay you know we've played on that pitch now have a look of course have a look and if it plays flat or you just bat but if it does start to nip around a bit

well we as a team have to buy into being a bit more proactive and try and get them on the front foot you got to remember Matt Henry's off the park I was going to say, I'll tell you who the busiest man tonight is going to be, the New Zealand physio. Absolutely. They need him on the field because if England start batting and they're a seamer down, that could be a really big advantage. You'd agree, wouldn't you, that for England, Samarry, if they went out and played a bit more expansively, you wouldn't. You wouldn't criticise them tomorrow if they tried it that way.

But we go back to that situation, again, reckless or positive, don't we? If they can't play positive, that's great. But if you see reckless batting that costs you the game, which is what they've talked about, we've seen in the past. Yeah, I wouldn't be happy with that. But I'd like to say, my Phillips has gone out and played positively, isn't he?

He's not doing anything reckless. In actual fact, Harry Brooke, there was only, you know, he danced down a couple of times. One thing I say about Harry Brooke is, I don't want him dancing down to try and launch. I think getting down the wicket's a really good option because it nullifies LBW, and you know as a bowler,

you're running to bowl go, when's he coming? I think he dances down. They never charge me, Michael. But I think he could almost play the bowler by going down the wicket and not launching, just playing. Yeah, absolutely. Just getting into the ball. That's my thing about reckless and positive, isn't it? Well, he danced down to Carl Jamieson.

He tried to launch one. Inside Aided it, passed me on for four. The next ball, he went back in his crease, and he'll say, by dancing down, he gets that next delivery because of the dance down. And he played the most perfect on drive. He went, right down the ground. And it's just that motion of going down the wicket. He doesn't have to go down the wicket to launch it.

go down the wicket to just get into the bowler's minds. Let's go out to the middle and hear from Alison Mitchell, who's with Ollie Robinson. Yeah, thanks Simon. Ollie, wow, what a day and welcome back to Test Cricket. You must have absolutely loved it out there. Yeah, thank you. Amazing. I'm just saying I'm so speechless about how it's gone.

Couldn't really have dreamt up that day. I think when we lost the toss and got stuck in, we're expecting to hopefully be back. single day. It didn't obviously go our way, but then to come out there with the ball, as a collective, as a whole group, we were right on it from ball one. And yeah, just amazing to, it's just such a special day. I have no words, I'm honest. What about the surface and the atmospheric conditions? How much, you know, both of those factors play in? Yeah, I think the atmosphere has played a big role today. It felt like when the sun come out and Brookie was going quite nicely, it was sort of doing a little bit less. And then it's even,

again the cloud comer came over and I felt like both teams just bowled really well both teams hit the hit the stumps a lot and just didn't really give the either the batting team a lot to score off so I think credit to both both teams and we've still got a job to do and mop them up in the morning but yeah what a first day of cricket I mean what a first over for you first over back if I could get you to almost talk through some of your plans for each of those deliveries Yeah, I've only bowled at this end before, the pavilion end before. So it's a bowl from nursery and I sort of had to adjust how I was going to bow. And I was just thinking about keeping the stumps in play, trying to wobble it down the slope,

looking at the footage. I knew Conway was getting a long way across. So I was trying to get him sort of trapped on the crease, W. And then Kane, it's just that, just holding that channel to him. And to be honest, that ball was actually just meant to hold and been it back off the surface. and again sometimes they just go your way. But yeah, what we're seeing was working really well out there today, a little bit of nip.

Just incredible, really. The first over was just, I just couldn't feel my legs. I was so nervous. And then to get the first wicket and the emotion coming out is just incredible. And I started to come back down to earth and be able to get into my work a bit more. We saw your skills first time round in the test arena. To what extent have you developed them, you know,

to an even degraded? degree now, how much control do you feel you've got of, for example, the wobble ball and where that might go? Do you know where the wobble ball is going to go? Yeah, I've got a different grip for both to go up and down the slope, but today it was just about honing in on probably one ball and just trying to stay really consistent. We had a chat about the pitch, probably doing enough, and you don't have to try and do too many things. And the style of my bowling is just trying to be ultra-patient, and luckily hit the right area with that patience today. And, I'm going to got the rewards. A few LBs went my way as well, which on another day you don't always get.

Buying Rod Tucker a drink later? I know, yeah, definitely, maybe too. When you got that text message from Brenda McCullum saying, you know, you're in our thoughts, if you do well, you know, you're in, what did you then think, right, this is what I need to do from here on in? What would you say? You did, you know, I mean, taking wickets, obviously, but, you know, around and on top of that. Yeah, I was in a place where I never thought I was going to play for England again to be honest and to get the text from Baz and the call from Keezy it really shifted my mindset onto sort of the hard work's just starting and I was just enjoying myself to be honest I put on a bit of weight and probably wasn't where I needed to be to play for England

back in March April so I knew that to get back in the team I knew the first date of the test match obviously there was a lot of work and the work's still not finished it's obviously still a work in progress but I've tried my best to get into the best I possibly can do for now, for today. And I know that there's a lot of hard work ahead. And yeah, it's down to me to keep pushing and keep doing that work. Very quick one on the match situation.

Then you've obviously got these wickets tonight. But in such a low scoring game, it's still going to be vitally important as it to come out strong tomorrow. Yeah, definitely. We have to clean them up quite quickly. Phillips played nicely there at the end. He was a bit more positive.

I made it hard for our bowlers to bowl to. So we can get a couple quick ones in the morning. Hopefully there's a little bit of sun tomorrow and we can get the batting boots back on. Well done, Ollie. Great to chat. Thank you. Cheers. Is Ollie Robinson talking to Alison Mitchell? Phillips is 31 not out.

And he took a triple wicket maiden to start his spell. And that's only the fourth time that's ever happened in test cricket. It was an honest interview. I mean, proper emotion about being back again. How thrilled he was. I saw him this morning. He was just like bursting. You know, not feeling his legs.

He's running. I know exactly. You know, just all of that, the excitement of being back. and the recognition of the hard work that he had to do to get back. That's a sort of interview. It's really nice to hear, isn't it? Someone who's just really chuffed to be back again and who's worked hard to get back to this

and he's picked up his rewards today. He had a bit of good fortune. But he did. He mentioned that as well. There's two WBWs. And there'll be some chuntering, I'm sure, in the New Zealand dressing room, as there would be in any dressing room.

To have two umpire calls for leg side in and over is pretty tough, actually. Well, let's bring in Jeremy Coney. He'll chunter. No, not really. I mean, that's the rule. Hitting the stumps, weren't they? Well, and yes, just, yes, just, but nevertheless you missed it. You were beaten.

Yeah, two in and over, or where it was, you know. You might feel that's a bit stiff. But nevertheless, you know, that's though the rules, aren't they? You know, they managed to convince them. Ump's thought about it for a while, gave it out. Oh, you've got to live with that. how would you guys feel? How would you guys feel that way?

You can't let it fester, that's the thing. The negative battle will go in the dress room and complain. Throw his bat. But I personally would look at Devin Conway, I think he's getting far too far over. So he's going to get challenged with any bowler, looking at the way that he moves over to kind of off-stum and he's just going to try and hit the pad.

I don't understand why he's trying to get so far over. You know, I'd just stay on neutral, middle stump and play the ball from when it's come from. I do think this leg slips causing a bit of chaos with batters. I really like this manoeuvre to this, you know, it's a modern thing where we see this leg slip on a number of occasions. I think you've got your three slips in your gullion, you've got this leg slip.

There's like a square leg that seems to be void. And I think a lot of batters are kind of so wary. I don't know why. Wouldn't that suggest that you don't move then? Correct. I mean, because you're trying to rule out the cordon by getting to your off stump and getting your outside eye over the off stumps.

and I'll let it go. But that, of course, then exposes the leg stump and you're starting to play it. If you've got a leg slip or three slips in a gully, I still think you've got to stay neutral. It's kind of really just stay neutral to hit the ball from where it's come from. I think a lot of these batterers are,

I think sometimes over-complicated in the game. Is he there for the face of the bat catch? He's looking for the... I think so down the leg slide, you just flick it. Instinctively, you just flicking off your hip. Yeah. That's what he's there for you.

You can't play from off-stump. I'm dead again. against it actually. A, your defence is you're coming across the ball. B, you can nick it off six stump anyway. C, you can't really hit the ball really on the leg side other than the wide of mid on because it's, you're only using half a bat and you run the wrist, your pads are right in front of the stumps. Anyway, it's too close to cut if you get a cut. I just think everything is wrong about batting on off stump. Well, taking your guard on off stump? Correct.

Yeah. How did you see New Zealand's batting effort, Jeremy? After they bowled England out for 140? Oh, well, defensively they couldn't hit the ball. They were missing the ball all the time. That's why they were LBWs. They couldn't get in. They don't look as if they can score against England.

England seemed to just worry them. Robinson, okay, we haven't learnt much about his fitness today yet, or his durability, because that was only six overs. But you can't argue with his consistency. You can't argue with the way he's able to control his body to get to the right place and to get nice and high so that the ball is going into the pitch as much as it possibly can and then can do it from there. And then he's got magic in his little fingers.

You know, that's the rhythm and music of medium fast bowling. And that's why he's such a good, you know, he's so consistent. Whether he can keep his speed, it was all between 77 and 81. and if you can keep that, then you can do the job. So I don't know what you feel about it. It's the perfect comeback week for Ollie Robinson. It's a good pitch for him, let's be fair. Correct.

He's got a pitch that's nibbling, perfect for his style of bowling. And let's be honest, I don't think the batting teams are going to bat for 120 overs, which would challenge his fitness. You're talking 30 to 60 overs, potentially, that you're going to have to be out there in the dirt. So that's not going to challenge a spell, then another spell a few hours later, coming back the next morning. This is the perfect comeback week.

And the New Zealand bowlers, Jeremy. Jameson took five. Did he impress you the most, or did he also like Willow Rourke in the way he bowled today? I like Willow Rourke better, actually. Jameson bowled some loose deliveries. He went for a few, didn't he? In this condition, you know, in these conditions. I thought that he's had to change. That's the hard thing. And I think the nice thing about it is that he's had two stress fractures in the same. sight and he's been able to

just adapt himself and become a swing bowler basically he's lost pace but he's still finding a way to play and it's nice to get a good day especially a place like this I think for him so Jameson 5 today Smith at 2 for 38

Willow Rourke 11 over's 2-2-29 he got rid of Bethel and bulk and sorry and root yeah good ball to get rid of root let's hear from him now he's speaking to Alison Mitchell Will what's a day and welcome back to cricket as well how can you sum up what's happened today yeah obviously pretty pretty well advanced now I think obviously a little bit in it for the seamers so both both teams bowed pretty well and I think for us tomorrow the nature of a small

total we just got to try either way that as much as we can tomorrow morning and have another crack of them so yeah it's been in the meaningful day has the buoyancy of all the wickets in bowling England now been a little bit tempered by them what's followed with the bat yeah I think it's only natural to you know when you lose a lot of early wickets to you know be a little bit a little bit shell-shocked and got the boys rushing around in the sheds but it's the nature of test cricket and they're bowled very well so on a pretty tough bit you're bad on so um nah yeah nah it was an interesting one how much did you enjoy bowling on this pitch though and again choice of ends with the slope

how did that work and in partnership when you're bowling with car jameson as well yeah i was lucky enough to have the i guess friend the ear end for running in downhill downwind so Yeah, no, it was nice. It was a nice pitch to bowl on. I think there was a bit in it the whole way around. And even when the Duke got a little bit softly, there was still enough in it. So, no, I just tried to whack the wicket hard and see what happened. And how has the road back from injury being for you to get to this point

and playing the test match at Lords? Yeah, we had this one circled from a long way out. So, yeah, it was slow, tedious process as it always is when you're out with the back injury. But, yeah, it did all the right things and feeling good now, so it's good to be back. You're actually from London, aren't you born in Surrey, Kingston? Oh, I don't know if I'm clare. Two Kiwi parents, I claim I'm still Kiwi, but yeah, I was born in London, so nice to be sort of home, I guess. Familiar territory in many ways.

And what about the bowling of Carl Jamieson as well, someone else who's come back from the injury trail a couple of years since his last test match when he was superb? Yeah, awesome, I think my first test match was the one after he red did his back, so obviously haven't played a Red Bull game together, but it was awesome to see the big fellow out there. and then get the rewards he deserved. Best like for the rest of the match. Anything could happen from here. Cheers, thank you very much. Well, it certainly feels like that. Willow Rourke with Alison Mitchell.

Final thoughts, everyone. How would you first day back for the man? How would you sum it all up, Michael? I'm chuckling because test cricket in modern times, we've seen lots of this. We had two, two day games in the ashes. Will we see another two-day game? I don't think we will, but it's just the way

that test cricket's played these days. you get a pitch with a bit of nibble. Things seem to happen and, you know, happen very quickly. I don't see it slowing down on day two, Simon. So strap yourselves in. No, the pitch will quicken up a little bit, if anything, tomorrow for the weather forecast is to be followed.

Phillips becomes the important man for New Zealand. He hasn't got a hundred and test cricket yet. About time he batted. Yeah, a big first hour, as we always say. I mean, they put on 30 or these two. It doesn't take long for them to get parity. Phillips plays positively, and they will see how England battered. Yeah, no rain tomorrow.

It's going to be a terrific day. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Well, earlier on today at Lords, we were commemorating the captains that have led England out at the home of cricket as this test is the 150th to be hosted here. And Phil Tuffanil and Jonathan Agnew were outside the pavilion, catching up with some of them.

In front of us are lined up all the living England captains. bearing in mind it's 150th test match here at Lord so all of those still with us who have Captain England in a test match here are lined up in front of us you're a bit of noise going on in the background because they're being interviewed as we go but I'm just looking at who we have in order if you like Mike Brearley talking to in both of them we got David Gower Mike Gatting Graham Gooch Alex Stewart Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Michael Vaughn, is giving us a wave. Marcus Roskothick, I was catching up on which game he was captain for.

He'll tell us all about that. Andrew Strauss and of course, Alastair Cook as well. Look who we have here. We've got Mike Brearley talking to Ian Botham. What a combination you were. Mike, it's lovely to see you. Thank you. You must have great memories of this place.

Well, I was fortunate enough to play here for Middlesex all those years as well as five test matches. England here. So wonderful, yes. What is it about Lords in particular? Because you, yes, you do have that special connection, I think played for Middle Sex as well. First of all, it's a beautiful ground. And I think the development is very good. But also it's a tradition. You know, you know that you're coming to the home of cricket.

You know you're coming to a place where everyone wants to play. And it's a great place to play. Go on Lord Botham. Lord Botham for the England tie on. I don't know, there are times... Apparently the cupboard. The proper one. But when I played with you and against you,

we always seem to have been slightly rebel, maybe. Is that a fair comment or not? I mean, what does Lords do for you from that perspective? Well, perhaps I'm entirely wrong. Perhaps you weren't rebellious in the least. Look, whatever you're talking about there, as I'm not sure, I guess, but what I will say is, no.

But look, when you come to this wonderful ground, the history of the ground, honors board. And that what makes it harder when you're playing against any other side from the overseas is the fact they all want to be on that board up there. So everybody gives everything they've got, they'll run through barriers to try and beat England here. But that's a great, it's a compliment to the country.

This stadium has got nostalgia written all over it. We were lucky enough to play on it and play on it many times. For me, it's the home of cricket. What was your... I mean, you started here, let's face it, as a young cricket, MCC young crickler. I mean, years and years ago.

So what was it like then? 11 guineas a week. Not very good. What did you have to do? What did you have to do? Well, we had to run around, bowl to members when they came over. We had a policy that the members come in

and he think, well, that guy's not going to tip us anything. So we'd soon get rid of him. Short. A bit short and bit quick. But set off at 16 yards. But no, it's, this is so special. I remember running around with the scorecards, taking around to each department, every dressing room.

Nancy on the way up, there, pop in and have a quick fight. Well, that's if I hadn't eaten at all. But yeah, we all, we had a, yeah, it is special. And to see all these guys here, magnificent, all guys we played with and guys that I accomplished, commentated on when they were playing. It's a real pleasure to be back. Well, it's lovely to see you both.

Thank you so much. Congratulations. Yeah, great to see him. Well, here's a familiar figure. Oh, thank you. My old skipper. Yeah, so come on, then. What does Lord's mean to you?

I remember a famous declaration here. That bit about, hang on a second. I've got to get in first, David. You know that? I understand. Yeah, I was, can I remind you that in what year was that? In 1984?

1984, yes. I had to persuade the chairman, Peter May, that we shouldn't declare at the start of day five because it was still a good-looking pitch. So when we gave the West Indies an hour before lunch and two more sessions to make 341, we were also a little bit taken about when they made it with time to spare. Nine wickets, only nine wickets. We got in amongst them early. We ran Haines out for about seven.

That's right. We thought we're in amongst them now. Greenwich and goals. But no. That was, you have to admire some very fine batting. Of course. Of course. But Lords remain special.

Did you enjoy batting here? Did you enjoy batting here? I've got a couple hundredth of here. One against New Zealand, one against Australia. Unfortunately, the Australian one was in the midst of a terrible summer. It wasn't my finest hour overall, but it was a gritty, determined, battling, angry, 100. It was also, actually, probably more famous in that game in 1989, not for the 100, which came on the Monday, but for leaving the press conference on the Saturday night.

Oh yes. Under severe questioning. Yes, good at the theatre, was there? Oh, absolutely. Look, it's rude to miss the start of the show. Absolutely, you can't walk in late. Absolutely. Davies, love to see you.

Always pleasure, John. Yeah, good man. And Mike Gatting alongside. What was it like Gat? Because, I mean, you, like Mike Brearley, we're used to playing here, whereas for these down the line, coming to Lords, always felt really kind of special.

It still feels special to you to play for England here because you played it so much. Oh it is, it's always special player for England, Agers, you know that. I mean, it's a... But there is just nowhere else like this. You know, Melbourne, MCG, Big Ground, Calcutta, 100,000 when we were around in those days. But this, again, was just so different to all of them in many ways. And you sort of think that, you know, you turn up, you go into the dressing room.

And they always seem to be trying to make things better here all the time. You know, wanted to be the best in the world. and it really is an absolutely fantastic place. Even when it's empty, you stride out there and you feel like it's special. I didn't actually get very many runs for England yet. I think my highest score was about 70 odd against New Zealand and that.

But for Middlesex, I mean, it was just like, you know, turning up, having a net and walking back in. And just being able to do that on a regular day-to-day basis, there's nothing better in this world. It's wonderful. And when you walked into that dressing room, especially for Middlesex, this individual will be, well, perhaps, he'll probably be later, I suspect. Was he the new turning up?

Well, he was, because he was up with Nancy, getting the bacon buddy and the, you know, she was getting breakfast for him every morning, a cup of tea. And they gave me some stick about it, but I promise you, if it wasn't for Nancy, I'm not sure he'd have made it through the day. Was he your greatest challenge, man management-wise? I have to say he had his moments and to be honest you do have mavericks in the game and he's certainly one of them. We had beefy and you know at the end of the day it was hard work but the fun we had as well

was sort of outweighed the half work and he tried the best. I do remember one day I said to him I said Cap I'm going to have to sack you. I said but before I do actually I'm asking the team whether they want you to play or not. And they said, no, we don't want to you sat cat. I said, okay. So I said to Kat, I said, look, the team saved you. They're the pit. So I think you probably should try and, you know, try and just work with us a bit about, you know,

because he would never, he said, well, why do I have to win three miles? Because I only walk up and bowl six spaces. And there was all these, but it was nice having fun as well as having a talented cricketer. Yeah, yeah, 20 years I played here for Middlesex. You always taught very fondly at mine. Well, absolutely. Well, saved my life on many occasions. And it was absolutely the best office in the world.

I've been listening to all the guys talking about what Lords means and what have you. Never played under Gat at Lords here for England. But it was an absolute joy to turn up, Gat, wasn't it? Wonderful people, people who looked after you, genuinely looked after you. Got a lot to thank Middlesex for it. Good man, Gat. Love to see you. Any waggers? We'll catch up with you.

We're going next one down the line. Graham Gouch. Stand your attention. I'm afraid I'm bringing Phil Tuffel all with me. You're a double action. It's funny why people like when I bring Tuffus back, Don't need a hide behind him, cat. People like you sort of flinch as, oh no, it's tough as.

But let's look, look, your running's here. I mean, that's got to be what everyone talks about, I guess, when you connect Lords and Graham Goucham. You know, a fabulous memory for you. Well, I was just talking to Alec because his dad, Mickey, was the coach and manager at the time. And I do remember coming off after I remember someone told me it was 628 minutes of batting and when I got to the dressing room

Mickey first words me said okay not bad he said but what you're doing getting out and I said I've run out of petrol Mickey okay he said it's not good enough he said you should have gone on and and broken Gary's Gary Sober's record of 365 and I said sorry Mickey I said we should have sent a message out so got me the only one who scored a triple century at laws and got a telling off for it But there we are. It's always great to be here. Wonderful ground for every player that comes here, every spectator, every cricket fan. You know, it's a fabulous atmosphere here. Whether you're working as you do now and I worked with you years ago as a commentator or whether we're standing out here on the slope, brings back memories. Yeah, there's something special of walking out here, isn't it? I mean, we kind of took it for granted when we played it in a way.

Although I didn't play here very much, Glastasher and Middlesex and all that. But it still feels special even now, to walk out here on this grass. It's ridiculous. The crowd are close to you. When I played my first test match in 1975, here, second test for me, but first, there was people sitting on the grass in the corners. They had people on the grass. So you feel very close to all the support, if you see what I mean. You know, it's not a massive stadium, but easily it's the best cricket ground.

And I say that instead of saying it's not a stadium, it's a cricket ground. And that's important. So it's a delight to be speaking to you as a good friend and delight to be in this fantastic place. Good to see you, Grant. We'll catch you later. Thank you very much indeed. Who we have here? We've got...

Go and speak to Marcus Drosothig a minute. Lovely to see you, Marcus. Because I was racking my brains, because you weren't a full-time England captain, were you? But yet you did captain here. So go on. Tell me, remind me. Yeah, it was in 2004 as a standing captain for Michael's got injured during preparation days. And then obviously I had the pleasure of doing it here.

as my sort of fourth test match. Did you have much notice, what's warning? A couple of days probably, yeah. Just to sort of prep and get back into it. We'd work closely together anyway in sort of captain, vice captain's sort of positions, but, you know, you just sort of step in and do the job. And we won the game, which was brilliant.

You know, that was really rewarding. Do you go to walk away in your first game here at Lourdeson be a winner as well. It was really nice. And did you enjoy batting here? Yeah, I did, yeah. It was quite different times, you know, compared to what they're like now, I would say.

They're always better batting pitches. I always found seeing the white ball get, the white ball here a little bit easier seeing the red ball. I don't know for what reason but you know I had quite some good success in the in the white ball games as well so it's you know always good always nice times to play here yeah there never used to be a sight screen here though I'm talking back in the day that would have been a long time ago well not well not that long ago middle sex Leicestershire Wayne Daniel coming out of the out of the pavilion without a sight screen very unpleasant I'm no doubt I'm sure I used it was a excuse well love to see you good stuff Thank you, Ashandee. What about Alex Stewart's rabbiting away. Can I, sorry, chaps.

Well, actually, I'm relieving you. I'm taking Alec away from home. How are you, Alex? Lovely to see you. Love to see you. Agu's great to be here. Yeah, now what a, you're a true pat shot on England man. What was it like playing here for you?

Listen, even though I've played at the over 20 odd years, this is my favourite ground. The home of cricket, special atmosphere, and it's just lovely to be back. I'll be dragged for a photo. You are. Okay, we'll forgive you, Alex. Right, he's away for a photograph.

It was that lovely. I think we've got a chat with most of them there. There's still a couple of still maybe we'll have time to get, but Alistair Cook there, Michael Vaughnwell, you hear enough from them anyway, Mike Allerton, NASA, but we got a lot in there. What a photo bomb opportunity this is, John. Yes, you ought to. I might just sneak round the back and just try and go and stand next to Gucci and Gat. There you go.

Do you think they would answer correctly, which of these never Captain Ingrid? I think they'd get it right. But it is, I mean, it's a lovely thing to do, and it's a lovely thing to do, and it's a... very special event here. Lovely to see Mike Brearley. Yes. Because he of course took over. I didn't like to bring it up with Ian.

Because Ian in 1981 was captain here. Came off to silence. Yes, that's right. And that's when they sacked him. They sacked him. Yes. And so they went up to heading

to the next test. Mike Brewery reinstalled as captain. And that was course, as I say, he was history. Well, a couple of sirs and a lord there. Yeah, absolutely. Right. I don't think what's happening quite with the covers and so on,

but we've got a motor mop chugging up and down. If you're just joining us, they're a bit confused. The timings are all over the place today. We've had lot, we've had rain showers and quite long interruptions. There's no news yet of a restart. We've got a legend. Michael, for one, perhaps for ages. Hi, do you know that guy that snuck onto the Manchester United team picture

and went out to batheedly? He's here, look, here is. I was half expecting, Javs 69 to turn up. Has he got 20 R69 on the back? That's the ideal photograph him to be in, isn't it? But go on, I've talked to the others, I know he talked to you all the time. But, you know, to be here and be part of that,

is very special, as I'm goodness so. Yeah, you kind of look along the group and you, you know, just had a great chat with Mike Brearley and, you know, see Mike Gatting and Gucci, beefy, Gower, all looking remarkable. It'd be fine, considering they've been in the old, the suite since 11 o'clock this morning. I thought they're one or two slurs,

if I want it. I thought that, yeah, it's special. I mean, but this place is a special place. I always, you know, whether it's on a test match day, whether it's in the winter when you're walking by and you walk through, we're all very, very lucky to say that, you know, we can work here, we've played here, and regularly we can kind of walk across this hallowed turf

to an amazing crowd. The crowd here are always great. Everything around the place is class. Restart 451, I mean, how they work that out precisely, I don't know, but restart. start is 451 so about 20 minutes and that's a very encouraging sound of the hover mower chugging away so which of those captains was captain when you were in your formative years when he was sticking the telly on I'm trying to sort of you

know work out the years and so on who'd have been captain when you were Gower yeah David Gower Gower Gouche right and then I would say Michael Adtherter was the one that when I was just coming through the the kind of ranks at York so he was the England captain and he was such a young England captain. He was. He was. Played at university and I always felt

I could look at how they go, yeah, I can try to play like him at the start of my career and then you went to mind me. I tried to play a few more shots a little bit later. But he was the one that I looked at, but obviously NASA was the one that I took over from. Yes. Yeah, a number, I think Gucci captain in Australia,

I remember watching. Yeah, it was that tour that, you know, I was around 60. 17 17. That's your first tour. Yeah, I think it was around that time that I was really starting to get involved in cricket. Yeah, yeah. So you played under...

I played under a few of them. A few of them. I saw a few of them. You'd have just missed Gow. No, no, yes. I think I might have played under David in a shield match in Australia, 1991. Gat was my captain at Middlesex for 20 odd years. Strauss, he was a captain for me at Middlesex.

NASA, Gooch, Stewart. you heard. That's a lot. He did the lot. He did the whole lot there. It just shows how regularly we sack them, really. But I think one of the boys said it

when they were interviewed there. Lord's is a real place that you feel the history of the game, you know, about the people who have walked down onto this hallow turf, Mike. You said it earlier on. You really do get the feeling of that, Lord's. Yeah. And you get it, even when you first come, I remember the very first game of cricket I ever saw.

I came here as an 11-year-old sitting in the grandstand, watching the Gillette Cup final of 1971, age of 11, watching Peter Lever running in from that nursery end. And I said to my dad, that's who I want to be Peter Lever. And my dad said, yeah, right, you know. But that was sitting here. I think it sets you off, isn't it? If you can come here.

Yeah, I think it's been the start of many boyhood dreams. Absolutely. Mike Gatting in the tavern stand down the bottom, they gave me the Daily Telegraph Young Batter of the Year. When I was 15, yeah. And I always remember, I got a thousand pound kit bag to take back to my school in Sheffield.

Duncan Fernley, Duncan Fernley Magnum, which I used a little bit after that. Thousand pounds in those days. Yeah, but it was a full kit bag of a thousand pounds worth of my school back in Sheffield. It's worth of remembering also. I mean, Lords was more than just a cricket ground. It was the headquarters of the ICC for,

well, for years until it moved to Dubai. And the press conferences, I remember in the long room that was staged, when South Africa were reintroduced to test cricket, it all happened in there. When Colin Cowdery introduced match referees for the first time, press conferences are always in the long room. So it's got that real, I mean it still is, it was then the home of cricket, but it still is, isn't it? I mean, it's still the custodian of the laws, and people still look at lords. And I think it was, as Ian, both of them were saying, visiting teams come here and they want to get on that board, they want to, they want to win at lords.

It still does resonate all around. the world this place yeah they always seem to go up of notch don't they when they turn up and I can remember turning up here when I was about 16 or 17 my first contract with Middlesex uh krecker what was a 85 or something like that and uh you know turned up and went wow you know for someone who had just been playing a little bit of cricket and you walk through those grace gates and you thought this is you know this is something a little bit special right in the heart of london and you got the feeling that it was just the place to be being down on the pitch for us.

And thanks to you for listening. Test match special is back on air at 10 a.m. on Friday for highlights of the first day. And then a full build-up, that begins at 10.30. So much sport today and all the goals as they go in up and down the league. This is five-life sports. It's all eight to the lights. Stop to stopper. Everyone standing around the 18th green.

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