1980: Kim Hughes lights up Lords in Centenary Test

England and Australia met at Lord’s, towards the tail end of a long wet summer of 1980, to mark the 100th anniversary of their first Test encounter in England.

Reminiscences beckoned and the glow of the past attracted names from farthest corners of the world and from hazily remembered chapters of Ashes history. Amongst the 200 former Test players was Percy Fender, 88 years of age, and Stork Hendry, three years his junior, a survivor of the famous 1921 team of Warwick Armstrong.

The match ended in a draw with key contributions from:

• Kim Hughes scored a brilliant 117 with 14 fours and 3 sixes
• Graeme Wood contributed 112
• England’s first innings was dominated by Australia’s pace attack. Dennis Lillee took 4/43 and Len Pascoe claimed 5/59
• In Australia’s second innings, Kim Hughes again starred with 84 runs including 11 fours and 2 sixes, while captain Greg Chappell made 59. 
• England’s second innings saw Geoff Boycott score an unbeaten 128 and Mike Gatting remain not out on 51, but time ran out as they reached 244/3.

This test marked the end of the long career of commentator John Arlott.

Sept 1980.