Lord's Firsts: 200 Years of Making History at Lord’s Cricket Ground

Philip Barker

May 2014 · Amberley Publishing Limited

About this ebook

Since 1858 cricketers from all over the world have dreamed of performing beneath the unchanging gaze of Father Time. Their adventures are to be found in these pages, in this wonderful tribute to the home of cricket. A fascinating insight into the history of Lord's. IMRAN KHAN Lord's Cricket Ground, referred to by many as the 'home of cricket', has become a Mecca for cricket fans the world over. Lord's is steeped in cricketing and sporting history. The year 2014 will mark 200 years since Thomas Lord rolled up the turf at the previous grounds and set them down on today's site, which has become the most revered cricketing arena in the world. The history of the ground is related in Lord's Firsts, a series of sporting firsts including the longest running rivalry in cricket - Eton v. Harrow, the first varsity match of 1827, the earliest Test cricket at Lord's in 1884, the first Sunday league match, the first one-day international and the only time a batsman cleared the pavilion. Other sporting events are also touched on, such as baseball during the First World War and the 2012 Olympics.

About the author

Born in Hackney, Philip Barker carried the Olympic torch in 1996. He has worked as a television journalist for twenty-five years. He began his career with Trans World Sport, then as a reporter for Skysports News and the ITV breakfast programme. A regular Olympic pundit on BBC Radio, Sky News and Talksport, he covered the IOC Session, which gave London the 2012 Games, as a commentator for Eurosport. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Olympic History, has lectured at the National Olympic Academy and contributed extensively to Team GB publications. He sits on the committee of the Sports Journalists Association of Great Britain and is also a member of the executive committee of the Union of European Sports Journalists (UEPS).