I sledged Steve Smith for England

In this summer of sporting dramas, every patriotic sports fan likes to think he’s done his bit to help. I went up to Manchester with my brother last Thursday and in the evening we found ourselves in an Indian restaurant with the England wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow at the next table. I feel sure it was Edward’s and my manly cries of ‘Good luck, Jonny’ as he left that helped him bat so brilliantly for his 99 not out. Though I suppose it could have been the vindaloo that fired him up.

My major influence on the Ashes series came a few days earlier, when I bumped into the Australian all-time-great batsman and scourge of England, Steve Smith. This was on the balcony of the All England Club at Wimbledon, where he was having a quiet chat with some friends. I introduced myself to the baffled group and we all agreed that watching tennis was a welcome relief from the unbearable tension of the cricket. Then I told Smith we hoped he’d enjoy the rest of his tour but would he mind just twice at Old Trafford taking his eye off the ball. ‘That’s not going to happen!’ Polite laughter, and off we went. As sledging goes, I admit it was hardly in the Steve Waugh category. But take a look at the score book. Steve Smith scored 41 and 17. Every little helps.

And what, you may ask, was a man whose tennis peak was playing doubles for his club third team in the Middlesex League (West) doing on the balcony of the All England? It was not my low volleys that got me there, but a speech I made at a dinner some years back, for which two seats in the Royal Box, on two occasions, was the reward.