Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar turned up at Lord’s ready to do something special. He was due to ring the famous five-minute bell before the second Test between India and England. For a man who has done almost everything in cricket, this was his first time being asked to ring the bell. The invitation meant something but London weather had other ideas. Rain fell steadily through the morning and never really stopped. The outfield stayed wet, the covers stayed on, and the umpires eventually gave up. Not a single ball was bowled. The entire day was washed out.
Tendulkar was there, waiting. He had even posed for photographs with MCC chief executive Guy Lavender, looking optimistic in a sharp suit. Later he took to Twitter, clearly disappointed: “Was all set to ring the bell at Lords to start off the 2nd Test today, but unfortunately the weather had other plans. Hopefully we’ll get to see some good cricket over the next 4 days.”
Lord’s has always occupied a curious place in Tendulkar’s career. He made his Test debut against England there in 1990 as a 17-year-old. He became an honorary life member of the MCC. Yet for all the runs he scored around the world, a Test century at the Lords never came. The ground remained one of the few grounds that denied him that particular milestone.
The rain also forced England’s young batsman Ollie Pope to wait another day for his Test debut. Pope would eventually walk out when play finally began, but on August 9 he, like everyone else, could only watch the weather. Tendulkar left without ringing the bell. Ted Dexter stepped in the following morning to ring the bell. It was an eventful day and one which was ruined by rain.
