Since the days of G.E. Palmer, E. Peate and G. Ulyett in 1884, any bowler who took a five wicket haul on the hallowed turf at the Lords Cricket Ground in London got himself a mention on the Honours Board.
The practice has been continued even to this day and being on the honours board at Lords is one of the major aims of any International cricketer. (batsmen scoring centuries are honoured too). Here is what the official website of the cricket ground has to say:
Throughout the years, this board has been blessed with some of the most respected names in cricket, including J.B. Hobbs, W.R. Hammond, L. Hutton, I.T. Botham, G. Boycott, G.A. Gooch, S.F. Barnes, D.L. Underwood, D.G. Bradman, M.H. Mankad, Hanif Mohammad, G. St. A. Sobers, I.V.A. Richards, S.M. Gavaskar, Wasim Akram and G.D. McGrath. All honorable men and great
Most of you know where this is heading, but I disagree. I know a certain Mohammad Aamer also got listed in the honours board this week, and was allegedly involved in spot-fixing in the same game. Alleged disgrace of the game in the sanctum sanctorum disgusts me at the very least. But this post is not for that.
This post is to celebrate the beautiful game. To celebrate the good things in the game. It is no more possible for me as a fan to trust the game blindly anymore, but there is nothing which stops me from still loving it.
So, I will look at all the players who are honoured and salute them. The honours board is one of the few relics which the game can never outgrow and the presence of one who has allegedly done wrong does not nullify the achievement of others. Neither does it malign the institution which is Lords.
Love the game, it needs you now.
- A Fan