MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture - 2003: Sunil Gavaskar lyrics

"Namaste Mr President, ladies and gentlemen There may be some among you who on receiving the invitation to this evening's lecture must have seen who was going to speak and said "Oh! Yeah! Only if he is allowed through the gate!" There must have been a question in your mind whether the lecture would take place at all. It's a bit like getting an invitation to a party on 1st April; you don't know whether it's for real or if it's an April fool joke. Having now got to the podium which does afford me a better view than my natural height, I can see that you all did take the chance that I would be allowed in. I had, of course, made sure that there would be at least a couple of people attending by requesting MCC to invite a few of my friends, who are present here. As you can see, I am here - let in by the stewards who over the years have become quite charming. No more does one hear "Oi! Where do you think you are going?" Instead, now we hear "Excuse me, sir, can I help you?" Now this is a tremendous change and the MCC needs to be complimented on the remarkable improvement in the attitude of those manning the various entrances at the ground. Unfortunately, while there has been this most welcome change in the attitude at the gates, there has been a marked decline in on-field behaviour on the field - especially in the last fifteen years or so, and not just at the international level. I will come to that in due course. I know from experience that a quick breezy innings brings a lot more smiles and is remembered more than a long one, irrespective of its utility to the team's cause and so here I will try and play a quick one. In any case, my throat does not last long, so you can relax - it's not going to be a typical opener's innings. It is apt that this lecture is named after Colin Cowdrey who, on and off the field, epitomised all that is good about this great game of ours. Colin showed that it could be played with great sk** and grace in the toughest of conditions and against the hardest of opponents, and still have a smile and appreciation for the opponent. Colin is perhaps the only cricketer to have played Test cricket for 20 years. He played from 1954 to 1974 and the only other cricketer who I can recall having a similar span isMohinder Amarnath, who first played for India in December 1969 and played his last international in April 1990. Steve Waugh, who has now appeared in the maximum number of Tests, has played for eighteen years and, when you look at how many more Test matches he has played than Colin, you will know how much more Test cricket is being played today. Way back in 1986, Colin was the one with the record for the most appearances in Tests, when yours truly went past him. On the first morning of that game, I was pleasantly surprised to see Colin being ushered into the Indian dressing room by