London: Former Indian wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer rang the customary five-minute bell before the start of the third day of the second Test between England and India on Saturday. The 83-year-old had attended both days of the Test between England and India.
Engineer played 46 Tests for India between 1961 and 1975, scoring 2611 runs with two centuries and 16 half-centuries at an average of 31.08. As a wicketkeeper in the longest format of the game, Engineer claimed 66 catches and 16 stumpings.
He also made five ODI appearances for India, making 114 runs with one half-century at an average of 38.
Engineer was one of the first Indians to feature in County Cricket. He played in 175 matches for Lancashire from 1968 to 1976, amassing 5,942 runs. He also held 429 catches and claimed 35 stumpings. Post retirement from the game, he settled down in Manchester.
Engineer played in six Gillette Cup Finals at Lord’s between 1970 and 1976, emerging victorious in four of them. He was awarded the Honorary Life Membership of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1981.
The ringing of the five-minute bell during a Test match at Lord’s by an international cricketer, administrator or well-known enthusiast of the sport is a tradition which began in 2007.
The opening day of the Test between England and India on Thursday saw former England all-rounder Enid Bakewell ringing the bell five minutes before play started.
On the second day of the Test match on Friday, former England captain Andrew Strauss led a ceremonial bell ring with children who had benefitted from the work of the Ruth Strauss Foundation on ‘Red for Ruth’ day.
