I was in England during the northern summer of 1986. My great mate Rick Allen and I were playing a season of Minor County cricket with Sawbridgeworth in the Hertfordshire League.
We resided in Sawbridgeworth village, a short distance from London. On a rare day off from playing, we decided to attend the 2nd day of the 1st Test between England and India at Lords on 5th June 1986. This was my first trip to the home of cricket but for Rick Allen, the current No.1 cricket scribe for The Sun newspaper in Sydney, it was his umpteenth visit to Lords. Rick had been a member of the initial Australian Under 19 Cricket team which toured England in 1977. He was one of the star batsmen in that team, which included the future Test opening pair of David Boon and Geoff Marsh. Rick followed a career path in sports journalism (which restricted his grade cricket availability) and a world class social life (which had a similar effect). He definitely had the batting ability to be a First Class cricketer if he had pursued that avenue.
