Wednesday 11th June 2025
Day 1 of the Ultimate Test
“Who needs work,” says the green and gold-clad South African fan. When one looks around Lord’s it seems to have been a rallying cry for many that now call this country home.
I stop and talk to the fans who have made the pilgrimage to the home of cricket. Whether they come from Cape Town, Melbourne, Dublin, Milton Keynes or Israel, the message is clear. “It’s a bucket list item.”
Fans of all ages have found their way for the first time ever to the Mound, Compton and Warner stands. They all share the feeling that this is a “different” cricket experience. “The atmosphere is electric” I am told, “there’s just a buzz going on constantly,” I think to myself that he is describing the Lord’s murmur that everyone talks about.
He has paid for his brother-in-law to come to the UK from South Africa. “I couldn’t miss this one,” he says. The lady and her teenage son from Melbourne agree, “We flew via Delhi to London and landed on Monday”. She seems almost apologetic when she describes Lord’s as being “a lot more civilized” than the MCG. It’s very English, after all.
The seventy-year-old South African sits resplendent in his ethnic shirt and beaded SA flag tie. He’s impressed with the way things are done at Lord’s. “You can bring in your own booze, and I even had champagne before lunch…”
He did seem to be enjoying himself. Perhaps he bought himself a Boerie Roll from the South African Kitchen food truck at the lunch break. What is clear from all the people I speak to is that being here is something special. It’s an event that almost transcends cricket.
It is not surprising that nearly everyone I speak to says that they have bumped into someone they know. Whether they are dressed in specially tailored flag-jackets, workmens’ dungarees or just a replica shirt, they are actually here for the cricket.
The crowd is amazing. They cheer every boundary and gasp at every wicket. Their heroes are out in the middle. “It feels like a home crowd,” says one of the fans. It seems like this is true for both protagonists. As Kagiso Rabada returns to his position at fine leg after taking his fourth wicket, he is greeted with a rousing ovation. This is what the game is all about.
Lord’s is on display to the world, and it doesn’t disappoint. The cricket is red hot. There are oohs and aahs as the batters play and miss, and generous applause as the ball finds its way to the boundary.
The morning clouds give way to a beautiful sunny afternoon. The perfectly manicured outfield seems more verdant in the brightness. The crowd has swollen to 26,000, and Lord’s is a picture that befits its cricketing nobility.
Oh yes, the cricket. We are treated to a Rabada masterclass, his fifer taking him beyond the legendary Allan Donald to become the Proteas’ fourth-highest wicket-taker. There is grit and determination from Smith and Webster, as the cries of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy” ring from the Compton stand. The Australian bowling is tighter than the lid on a pickle jar. It’s tough, relentless. South Africa’s batters seem to have little answer. This is test cricket at its best, in the Ultimate Test.
I’m no millennial, more of a baby boomer. I feel though that this game brings all of us together, young and old, from far and near.
The last word probably sums up how many of the lifers and first-timers feel about being here today. “This is just amazing, to watch at Lord’s, hellooooo!”
Day 1 is done, bring on day 2!
