Lords Long Room Lunch 2024 – with the amazing Brian Lara
View 9 photosBrian Lara, Mike Atherton & Graeme Swann
The Lord’s Long Room Lunch 2024 was the latest instalment of our annual event featuring some the biggest names in cricket, held at the home of the game in the incredible and exclusive Long Room.
This year we were thrilled to welcome one of the greats of the sport, a legendary name, a record-breaker and a player who is in the mix with the very best batsmen of all-time, Brian Lara. He was joined by the iconic former England captain and opening-batsman Mike Atherton and one of English cricket’s finest spin bowlers Graeme Swann.
After the superb hospitality, including the delicious three-course lunch, complimentary drinks and the wonderful live Soprano performance from singer Emily Haig, it was time for the Lord’s Long Room Lunch 2024 Q&A with our special guests. Mike Atherton began talking about his career, some of his moments and his favourite team-mates. He also discussed the current England team and in particular lavished praise on current England captain Ben Stokes who he claims is one England’s all-time finest captains.
Graham Swann talked about his playing days too, proclaiming Andy Flower the best coach he has played under, and he told an anecdote about how himself and current England Team Managing Director Rob Key plotted against our MC for the event, former cricketer Dave Fulton. The duo phoned Dave pretending to be the England head coach of the time, David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd, saying that he would be selected for England if he scored another hundred for Kent in the next match. After scoring a hundred in the fixture Dave couldn’t understand why he didn’t get another call!
Brian Lara then spoke about his quite incredible 501* not out for Warwickshire, and explained how the Warwickshire captain, Dermot Reeve, was going to declare before he had his record score and how the Warwickshire CEO of the time Dennis Amiss pleaded with Reeve to let him keep batting. This was in part due to the fact that crowds and new memberships were increasing as the afternoon went on!
As for Brian’s famous 400* for the West Indies against England in Antigua in 2004, he talked about his form leading up to that record, mentioning that his 6 previous innings leading up to it had all been below 50, before it all clicked in that historic display.
Guests then enjoyed more drinks and hospitality, and our Lord’s Long Room Lunch 2024 came to a conclusion with everyone appearing delighted to have spent time in such wonderful surroundings and in the company of three greats of the game hearing their untold stories and knowledgeable insights.
