A lot of the Bollywood brigade was in the stands of Lord’s to watch the England-New Zealand World Cup Final. From Siddharth Roy Kapur to Aditya Roy Kapur to Boman Irani they were all there — to support India — but just 45 minutes of bad cricket by Kohli and the boys, compelled them to, well, as Irani said, “I am supporting no one. I am supporting the game.” In a non-India show at Lord’s many of the stars who had tickets for both the big Sunday games, it was being said, had opted to go to Wimbledon instead where Roger Federer was bidding for his next title against Novak Djokovic in a classic Final.
English celeb line
But that did not make the celebrity line-up for the England side any less. Cricketing hero Andrew Flintoff was there to support his team in making history. Popular radio show host Chris Evans who just the other day suggested abseiling The Shard, the fifth largest building in Europe with the top four all in Russia, was in attendance along with Matt Smith of the highly popular film Fantastic Beasts, top rated comedian Frank Skinner and Piers Morgan, the controversial English broadcaster, journalist, writer and television personality who co-anchors the ITV Breakfast programme Good Morning Britain and was also the judge on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent. These, beside the long line of England’s former cricketers, some of them there with their prestigious MCC badges on red and yellow striped blue blazers. “I am texting President Trump to let him know the score…” he tweeted from the ground.
The lordly slant
Viewing the famous Lord’s Pavilion building directly opposite the equally famous spaceship Media Centre you wonder why the quaint structure in red and yellow brick sits on such a distinct slant. The Pavilion, built in 1890 by Thomas Verity, is a Grade II listed building and houses the players’ dressing rooms on the first floor from where they pass through the Long Room, with walls adorned with historic paintings, before emerging out onto the field. The playing area slopes around 2.5m from right to left as you look from the Media Centre, creating a unique challenge for batsmen and bowlers. But it is the Long Room that comes steeped in tradition, the place where MCC club members can sit and have a drink with some cricket on the field. Famously for India, Diana Edulji was denied permission in there when she was India captain. It was only in 1998 that women were allowed into this zone through law, prompting her to say MCC is actually MCP! Before that, only Queen Elizabeth had access into this all-man area!
All roads to Lord's
India did not make it so you would have thought the atmosphere in the stands would take a beating. Not so at all. From English fan begging for tickets, to all the light blue flooding the tube station from anywhere to St John’s Wood, to stewards warning against being run out on the escalators, it was cricket all the way. The noise, you would have thought would be lower. Not at all, singing The Piranhas song, the fans kept the fire going inside even as a band of drummers and acrobats revved up the atmospherics near the North Gate, compelling the huge crowd to take a break and some videos. Even the Lord’s Merchandise Shop, which is all but over with World Cup merchandise had a long waiting queue for customers to get in, early morning onwards. All of 28,500 seats were full to capacity at the Lord’s Cricket Ground where hosts England reached to fight for their place in the Hall of Fame.
