The greatest cricket tournament is under way in England and any follower of the game cannot help but pay a visit to the Lord’s, the Mecca of cricket.
The board at the entrance of the St John's metro station said Lord’s was just 400 metres away. But I was confused over which of the three roads from the station would take me to the Home of Cricket. Englishmen are generally helpful. They are even ready to accompany a lost person to his destination. With that confidence, I asked the first person I came across - a grandma, close to 70 years old.
The elderly woman, holding on to her grandson's hand, was trying to cross over to the other side of the road.
I put forth my query and pat came the reply: “It is the straight road ahead. People with round cricket hats would be walking ahead of you. Just follow them. That's the sign."
I reached there without any delay. This is the address: St John's Wood Rd, London NW8 8QN, UK.
I had reached the lion's den. I walked in through the memorial gates erected in honour of Dr W G Grace, one of the English cricketing greats of all times. As I entered, the statue of Grace greeted me. With his left foot forward, Dr Grace played a flick shot more than a century ago that has been immortalised on this ground.
I walked in to enter the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The MCC's museum takes the visitor through the cricket’s journey that began in some remote grassland in England in the 16th century to the present-day game. Visitors maintain utmost decorum as if they are in a place of worship. As I climbed on to the first floor, I, like any other Indian, was transfixed on seeing one image. Kapil Dev receiving the World Cup trophy at the Lord’s balcony in 1983.
Above the gallery is a huge media centre. Behind that is the popular nursery ground. In the earlier days, it was a nursery for growing plants.
While returning I once again went up to Grace's statue and gazed at the great Englishman, it probably was posing a question to its visitors – did anyone more talented pick up the cricket bat after me?
