Black socks, Black Sabbath and blackest evil on India's tour of England
Our correspondent fills the days between Tests with music, ghosts and encounters in parks
Sidharth Monga
20-Jul-2025
Where there's a will, there's a lawyer • Sidharth Monga/ESPNcricinfo Ltd
June 15
Anxious travellers wait through delay after delay for the Air India flight from Goa to London. Unstated reasons for delay: incoming flight delayed because of Iran airspace closure, and Air India being asked to thoroughly check the whole fleet of Boeing 787s at first opportunity after a horrific crash killed close to 300 just three days ago. Science and technology should bring the world closer, but it is growing further apart.
Anxious travellers wait through delay after delay for the Air India flight from Goa to London. Unstated reasons for delay: incoming flight delayed because of Iran airspace closure, and Air India being asked to thoroughly check the whole fleet of Boeing 787s at first opportunity after a horrific crash killed close to 300 just three days ago. Science and technology should bring the world closer, but it is growing further apart.
June 16
Think about how Roger Waters and friends - before the Pink Floyd days - took his mum's car to Istanbul via France, Italy and Greece. On a whim. Another day they drove an ambulance they called Brutus to the Middle East. It blew up in Beirut because they put no water in it. Waters hitched back home. In 2003, he would go on to write "Leaving Beirut".
Think about how Roger Waters and friends - before the Pink Floyd days - took his mum's car to Istanbul via France, Italy and Greece. On a whim. Another day they drove an ambulance they called Brutus to the Middle East. It blew up in Beirut because they put no water in it. Waters hitched back home. In 2003, he would go on to write "Leaving Beirut".
Now we are at immigration - well past midnight - at London Gatwick, telling them why we are here. And when we will leave. Wait for close to two hours for the next train into the city. Leave for Leeds early in the morning.
June 17
Richard Robinson, Yorkshire's head of grounds. Legendary run-getter in the Bradford Leagues. Contemporary of Michael Vaughan, Richard Kettleborough and Chris Silverwood. Honeymooned in Goa. Knows what he is doing.
Richard Robinson, Yorkshire's head of grounds. Legendary run-getter in the Bradford Leagues. Contemporary of Michael Vaughan, Richard Kettleborough and Chris Silverwood. Honeymooned in Goa. Knows what he is doing.
Assisted by Jasmine Nicholls, former England race-walker. We roll off half the cover to get a look at the pitch for the first Test, which needs to remain covered because of the dry and warm summer. Hard pitch that will have good bounce but not much seam movement. Won't break up.
June 18
Beryl Bikes. Cool concept. Use a credit card to unlock them. Pay as you ride. Staying in Roundhay Park, the other end of Leeds from Headingley, only because of Beryl Bikes. Can't get them working because credit card won't allow their pre-authorisation charge to go through. Call the credit card company, spend 45 minutes to get through to humans, beg them to whitelist Beryl, but they won't.
Beryl Bikes. Cool concept. Use a credit card to unlock them. Pay as you ride. Staying in Roundhay Park, the other end of Leeds from Headingley, only because of Beryl Bikes. Can't get them working because credit card won't allow their pre-authorisation charge to go through. Call the credit card company, spend 45 minutes to get through to humans, beg them to whitelist Beryl, but they won't.
June 20
Test-match morning. Doesn't feel like it in Roundhay Park. Until the 8.56am bus into the city is cancelled. Cricket must be around.
Test-match morning. Doesn't feel like it in Roundhay Park. Until the 8.56am bus into the city is cancelled. Cricket must be around.
Get on the 9.26am. Bumped off Spotify by Amazon Echo back home. Jazz must play when the dogs are alone at home. Another five-minute delay in the city for driver changeover. Two lads dressed for cricket get on. Quiz each other on cricket before one asks the other, "When do we know who will bat first? An hour before?" They put on a video on their phone. Can hear Ravi Shastri on air, making fun of a kid in the stands eating ice-cream. One of the lads says, "This is going to haunt me through the day." Kids scared of eating ice-cream on a hot day thanks to Shaz, who is not advertised to even be here.
Turn up just in time to see Shaz at toss. Cricket must be around.
New India captain Shubman Gill in black socks. Sky commentators reminded of David Gower's coloured socks that attracted fines. A bit of Gower's elegance in how Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal take India to 359 for 3 at stumps.
June 21
Better bus connection this morning, but stuck behind India's team bus - or coach as it tends to be called if it is chartered. No entourage to steer away traffic. Both buses take the same amount of time to reach Headingley.
Better bus connection this morning, but stuck behind India's team bus - or coach as it tends to be called if it is chartered. No entourage to steer away traffic. Both buses take the same amount of time to reach Headingley.
Nasser Hussain had fans shouting "Brisbane" at him when he went for dinner last night. A nod to his choosing to bowl at the Gabba in 2002, much like Ben Stokes has done here. Defend Stokes' decision to anyone who will listen because the reasoning is fine: day one is the only time with any assistance for bowlers on Bazball pitches.
Heard on stump mics: England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith goading Rishabh Pant into playing a big shot, and Pant telling him he can't because Shoaib Bashir is bowling well and there are fielders on the boundary as well. Hits next ball for six en route to becoming India's third century-maker in the innings, but they lose the last seven wickets for 41. Then they drop a catch and take a wicket off a no-ball.
June 22
On a whim, get off at the Scott Hall Drive bus stop. As wrestling fans should. Discover the Scott Hall area housed Bronte House, a large building for single women, built in the 1930s. Around 40 years later, serial killer Peter Sutcliffe - the Yorkshire Ripper - picked his first victim from Scott Hall. And then the fifth of his 13 recorded victims from a few doors down.
On a whim, get off at the Scott Hall Drive bus stop. As wrestling fans should. Discover the Scott Hall area housed Bronte House, a large building for single women, built in the 1930s. Around 40 years later, serial killer Peter Sutcliffe - the Yorkshire Ripper - picked his first victim from Scott Hall. And then the fifth of his 13 recorded victims from a few doors down.
Dogs back home are at home. Can tune in to Spotify. Look for Yorkshire playlists, end up with a podcast on the "Yorkshire Witch", Mary Bateman, a fraudster and murderer from the late 1700s.
The Yorkshire Ripper died of Covid-19 at 74 in a hospital in 2020 and got a private funeral. The Yorkshire Witch was hanged at 40 and her body dissected for public spectacle - days one and two for threepence and five guineas for "gentlemen" only, and day three for women. Parts of her skin were used to tan into leather for charms to ward off the evil eye.
June 23
Warding off the evil eye is what India need. After securing a lead, they lose their last six wickets for 31 to somehow keep England in the game. Headingley a singular venue: slopes across the length, not breadth like Lord's. Plus practice pitches run from point to square leg. Slip fielders usually at least a foot below striker's end. Catches been going down from both sides' gully fielders.
Warding off the evil eye is what India need. After securing a lead, they lose their last six wickets for 31 to somehow keep England in the game. Headingley a singular venue: slopes across the length, not breadth like Lord's. Plus practice pitches run from point to square leg. Slip fielders usually at least a foot below striker's end. Catches been going down from both sides' gully fielders.
Leeds Town Hall clock supposedly doesn't strike at midnight for paranormal reasons: not to wake up the ghost of a woman who threw herself to her death from it in 1876. More practical version: clock didn't strike from 11pm to 7am because Leeds General Infirmary had thin windows that couldn't block sound. Never been in city so late as to test the nightly silence of the clock.
June 24
Usher at Headingley scanning accreditation pass lights up at sight of my name. "There's a lot of you back home," he says of the Congo, where, according to Google, the Mongo people are the largest ethnic group. Tell him will someday go and find family in Congo.
Usher at Headingley scanning accreditation pass lights up at sight of my name. "There's a lot of you back home," he says of the Congo, where, according to Google, the Mongo people are the largest ethnic group. Tell him will someday go and find family in Congo.
Rare Test where better team loses. India pay for casual dismissals and dropped catches but are the better bowling unit over longer periods of time. It visibly rains everywhere in Leeds, but not at Headingley. Evil eye be on India, juju on Stokes.
June 25
No need for Beryl Bikes in Birmingham. Landlady Bianca Sheikh has kindly lent one. Get her place as bargain for agreeing to look after her cats, Autumn and Slinky. Bianca is the great-niece of Sheikh Basharat Hasan, whom she introduces as a Nottingham Forest player. Born in Nairobi, he actually played 332 first-class cricket matches, the last of those for Nottinghamshire in 1985. Features in the Wisden Cricketer in an article titled "Nottinghamshire Cult Heroes". Sample: "His unselfishness won so many friends that it was said a senior figure lost his place on the committee simply because he was rude to Basher in front of members during a club tour."
No need for Beryl Bikes in Birmingham. Landlady Bianca Sheikh has kindly lent one. Get her place as bargain for agreeing to look after her cats, Autumn and Slinky. Bianca is the great-niece of Sheikh Basharat Hasan, whom she introduces as a Nottingham Forest player. Born in Nairobi, he actually played 332 first-class cricket matches, the last of those for Nottinghamshire in 1985. Features in the Wisden Cricketer in an article titled "Nottinghamshire Cult Heroes". Sample: "His unselfishness won so many friends that it was said a senior figure lost his place on the committee simply because he was rude to Basher in front of members during a club tour."
June 26
England, take it easy with the death capitalism please. Every second attorney advertises "will management", "cremation insurance", or the unholy "ensure your pets have the right care when you're not around".
England, take it easy with the death capitalism please. Every second attorney advertises "will management", "cremation insurance", or the unholy "ensure your pets have the right care when you're not around".
June 27
Cycle from Court Lane to Edgbaston. Google Maps starts journey off through "Perry Common Meadows", more a grassland than meadow, where you never thought a cycling path existed, then along canals, then lost because of ongoing construction. Good time to come across graffiti asking: "Are you lost yet?"
Cycle from Court Lane to Edgbaston. Google Maps starts journey off through "Perry Common Meadows", more a grassland than meadow, where you never thought a cycling path existed, then along canals, then lost because of ongoing construction. Good time to come across graffiti asking: "Are you lost yet?"
Spotted outside India nets: car with small sticker reading "Release Imran Khan".
June 28
Construction never ends in Birmingham, leading to the joke: "It'll be nice when it's finished, bab." Bab is short for "babe", not to be confused for the bab in Goa, where it is short for "baba". Of course, roadworks and construction are never finished in Birmingham, an unsentimental city always looking to the future.
Construction never ends in Birmingham, leading to the joke: "It'll be nice when it's finished, bab." Bab is short for "babe", not to be confused for the bab in Goa, where it is short for "baba". Of course, roadworks and construction are never finished in Birmingham, an unsentimental city always looking to the future.
Wrote Brummie writer Jon Bounds: "Birmingham has a haphazard approach to the past: we bulldoze that which would be a permanent monument and leave up a temporary flyover for decades."
Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath is the most famous Brummie. First inductee on the Birmingham Walk of Stars on Broad Street in 2007. Commemorative star and plaque are now in Birmingham Museum because of Midland Metro works. New home for it TBD.
June 29
Some famous Brummies I didn't think were from here:
Some famous Brummies I didn't think were from here:
Apache Indian
UB40
Hard Kaur
Anna Kumble, aka Lolly
Malala Yousafzai
Half of Led Zeppelin
UB40
Hard Kaur
Anna Kumble, aka Lolly
Malala Yousafzai
Half of Led Zeppelin
Punjabi MC, whom I thought of as a Brummie, is from neighbouring Coventry.
Brummies I knew of:
Moeen Ali
Floyd drummer Nick Mason, born in Edgbaston, where the cricket ground is.
Floyd drummer Nick Mason, born in Edgbaston, where the cricket ground is.
June 30
Botanical Gardens of Birmingham. Rare sight of a Deodar and Giant Redwood next to each other. Deodar native to Himalayas in India and Pakistan. Giant Redwood sacred native American tree. Neither of them English, yet pay £10 to see it.
Botanical Gardens of Birmingham. Rare sight of a Deodar and Giant Redwood next to each other. Deodar native to Himalayas in India and Pakistan. Giant Redwood sacred native American tree. Neither of them English, yet pay £10 to see it.
Two days before the Test, Dylan Young and Jack Tomlinson climb the Edgbaston floodlight towers to mount broadcast cameras. Intricate process. One has to go up an installed ladder inside the narrow tower and throw a rope down for the other man to climb up from outside. Young, son of Bill Young, who looked after Edgbaston towers before retiring, gets to pull rank and take the outside route as opposed to the claustrophobic and dark inner one. Both love the view from up there.
July 1
Some happenings on Birmingham Police news search:
Irene Mbugua, 46, found murdered in her home
Man in his 20s stabbed in city centre at 3am, CCTV images of accused released
Twenty-four arrested for violence during Birmingham City vs Shrewsbury. [Not even Aston Villa - Ed.]
Some happenings on Birmingham Police news search:
Irene Mbugua, 46, found murdered in her home
Man in his 20s stabbed in city centre at 3am, CCTV images of accused released
Twenty-four arrested for violence during Birmingham City vs Shrewsbury. [Not even Aston Villa - Ed.]
Not entirely unrelated: Birmingham Police, in association with Edgbaston and Chance 2 Shine, are reaching out to youth through cricket. Mixed teams of police and youth compete in street cricket tournaments, for police to try to get through to them better.
June 2
Twenty years of Live 8 2005 in London, which was held exactly 20 years after Live Aid 1985. Memorable to their fans for bringing Pink Floyd together for the first and last time in 25 years. Bigger significance of course was raising awareness about third-world deprivation and to urge world leaders to tackle poverty.
Twenty years of Live 8 2005 in London, which was held exactly 20 years after Live Aid 1985. Memorable to their fans for bringing Pink Floyd together for the first and last time in 25 years. Bigger significance of course was raising awareness about third-world deprivation and to urge world leaders to tackle poverty.
On the field, in Floyd drummer Mason's backyard, India are blocking bowling after their Headingley mishaps but still scoring 310 for 5 in an 85-over day. Gill has another century.
July 3
Not quite Live 8, but there is a concert this weekend in Birmingham that has kicked off worldwide nostalgia. Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath are playing their final concert: at Villa Park, football ground of Ozzy's home village, Aston. Expect the city centre to be mired in disorder and chaos of metalheads from the world over combining with cricket crowds.
Not quite Live 8, but there is a concert this weekend in Birmingham that has kicked off worldwide nostalgia. Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath are playing their final concert: at Villa Park, football ground of Ozzy's home village, Aston. Expect the city centre to be mired in disorder and chaos of metalheads from the world over combining with cricket crowds.
Restaurants booked to full capacity, but an incongruous realisation occurs: metalheads are now elderly folk. Still wearing leather jackets and piercings and long hair but immaculately behaved and tipping generously. Odd revving loud motorcycle, though, breaks sleep.
July 4
Some songs made in or about Birmingham (h/t Spotify playlist suggested by Birmingham Museum):
Some songs made in or about Birmingham (h/t Spotify playlist suggested by Birmingham Museum):
- "I Can't Find Brummagem", by Jon Wilks, reminiscing on a city he no longer can recognise
- "Birmingham Blues", by Electric Light Orchestra
- "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six", by The Pogues, in solidarity with those convicted of the Birmingham bombings in 1974
- "Bodies", by the Sex Pistols, about a Brummie girl - "Made In Hell", by Rob Halford, the Judas Priest frontman born in Sutton Coldfield - "Mundian To Bach Ke," by Punjabi MC - heavy Punjabi lyrics but universally scatted to, an anthem of celebration and joy
- "Birmingham Blues", by Electric Light Orchestra
- "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six", by The Pogues, in solidarity with those convicted of the Birmingham bombings in 1974
- "Bodies", by the Sex Pistols, about a Brummie girl - "Made In Hell", by Rob Halford, the Judas Priest frontman born in Sutton Coldfield - "Mundian To Bach Ke," by Punjabi MC - heavy Punjabi lyrics but universally scatted to, an anthem of celebration and joy
July 5
Salt. Kiwi. Sand. Cher. Calf. Echo. Random words on Birmingham bus day passes. New one for a new day. Various theories abound. Could be code words refreshed every day to make it harder to fake tickets. Could be a remnant of pre-QR code times to validate easily. Could be a supplement to QR codes, should the scanner be broken.
Salt. Kiwi. Sand. Cher. Calf. Echo. Random words on Birmingham bus day passes. New one for a new day. Various theories abound. Could be code words refreshed every day to make it harder to fake tickets. Could be a remnant of pre-QR code times to validate easily. Could be a supplement to QR codes, should the scanner be broken.
Word for the day at Edgbaston is Gill as he scores twin centuries and then declares in black inners, making him look like the Black Panther.
July 6
TIL: Abortion after 24 weeks was a criminal offence in England and Wales until two weeks ago, when the MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of decriminalising it. However, anyone assisting abortions, including medical professionals, remains liable to be prosecuted.
TIL: Abortion after 24 weeks was a criminal offence in England and Wales until two weeks ago, when the MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of decriminalising it. However, anyone assisting abortions, including medical professionals, remains liable to be prosecuted.
Akash Deep takes ten wickets to go with Mohammed Siraj's seven to seal series-levelling win. Dedicates win to sister, who, he reveals, is suffering from cancer. Some people get all the misfortune.
July 7
One last run in Sutton Park before leaving Birmingham. Dogs allowed to be off-leash here, but won't socialise without their humans' say so. Indian dogs behave like unloved, unfed urchins whenever they see a friendly human.
One last run in Sutton Park before leaving Birmingham. Dogs allowed to be off-leash here, but won't socialise without their humans' say so. Indian dogs behave like unloved, unfed urchins whenever they see a friendly human.
Try making friends with every dog, with no reaction. Except for a female Labrador and a little Dachshund pup called Sadie, part of a family in a vintage motor home attached to a vintage car stationed just outside the park and on top of a lake. Man is welder by training. Has altered his motor home himself, with paintwork done by wife. Better way to travel than by train.
July 8
Sit in the stands at Lord's to watch India's fielding drills. One man's job is to walk around the fence, lean over every picket and pluck out any grass that might have grown.
Sit in the stands at Lord's to watch India's fielding drills. One man's job is to walk around the fence, lean over every picket and pluck out any grass that might have grown.
First visit to Lord's since 2014. Miss presence of Keith "The Pipe Man" van Anderson at the Nursery Ground, where teams net. Used to come to every nets session he could make it to. Loved them better than Test matches. All players knew him. Had his pipe in his mouth for his photo on his MCC membership. Also of Middlesex and Surrey. Always there for cricket rather than fame. Most of all, extremely generous and forgiving man. Died in 2019, just before the ODI World Cup.
July 9
Michael Atherton at Lord's the day before Test. Watches nets and training. Attends captains' press conferences. Finally introduce myself to him. Says he knows me already. That's it. Time to leave when ahead.
Michael Atherton at Lord's the day before Test. Watches nets and training. Attends captains' press conferences. Finally introduce myself to him. Says he knows me already. That's it. Time to leave when ahead.
July 10
England win third toss in three, this time deciding to bat considering high temperatures expected all five days. Joe Root is 99 not out at stumps as England Bazwall their way to 251 for 4.
England win third toss in three, this time deciding to bat considering high temperatures expected all five days. Joe Root is 99 not out at stumps as England Bazwall their way to 251 for 4.
Ask David Lloyd why umpires of eras gone bye used to crouch. No definitive answer but two theories: helped get low to stumps level in the days of unpredictably bouncing uncovered pitches, and/or to keep an eye on back-foot no balls, to uphold the law of the time.
July 11
London's Oyster thankfully accepts American Express. Still run out of credit shockingly quickly. Ask for assistance at Baker Street Station. Informed of fine for not tapping in at Herne Hill. The station doesn't have turnstiles. "I'll reverse this charge," she says, "because I like your shirt, but next time, even if there are no turnstiles, find the thing and tap."
London's Oyster thankfully accepts American Express. Still run out of credit shockingly quickly. Ask for assistance at Baker Street Station. Informed of fine for not tapping in at Herne Hill. The station doesn't have turnstiles. "I'll reverse this charge," she says, "because I like your shirt, but next time, even if there are no turnstiles, find the thing and tap."
Jasprit Bumrah taps into his bank of unplayable deliveries to end up with another five-for to bowl England out for 387.
July 12
Talk to Sunil Gavaskar about his recently departed friend Dilip Doshi, who lived near Lord's. In fact, the day after the WTC final, Gavaskar went to meet another friend, buzzed his flat, and while he waited, saw Dilip outside the building. Seemed fine.
Talk to Sunil Gavaskar about his recently departed friend Dilip Doshi, who lived near Lord's. In fact, the day after the WTC final, Gavaskar went to meet another friend, buzzed his flat, and while he waited, saw Dilip outside the building. Seemed fine.
A lot happens on day three. In a collective rush to get KL Rahul to hundred before lunch, Rahul and Pant are involved in a run-out. Extremely annoying, but at the same time extremely human. Us in the media are equally culpable for the milestone obsession.
July 13
Meet friends in Islington, Jeremy Corbyn's haunt and constituency. Closest tube station Angel, known for longest escalators on the Underground at 61m, and vertical drop of 27m, but not deepest station, which is Hampstead at a vertical drop of 55.2m. Can tell it is Corbyn's constituency from the presence of youth and ready availability of Gaza Cola, product of Palestine House, London, which sends all profits to aid.
Meet friends in Islington, Jeremy Corbyn's haunt and constituency. Closest tube station Angel, known for longest escalators on the Underground at 61m, and vertical drop of 27m, but not deepest station, which is Hampstead at a vertical drop of 55.2m. Can tell it is Corbyn's constituency from the presence of youth and ready availability of Gaza Cola, product of Palestine House, London, which sends all profits to aid.
Speaking of drop, Washington Sundar gets nice drop and drift to get four wickets to help India end up with a target of 193. England need everything to go their way to win. It does. Including batters not picking Brydon Carse from the hand in evening light. He bowls full to get Karun Nair and Gill.
July 14
Epic finish with Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj frustrating England for a session and a half. India get to within 22 of England' 193. For a moment, grapple with possibility of scores being tied on both innings for first time, after just ninth tie on first innings. Old ball, dying pitch make it difficult to get wickets but England don't complain about this one because they don't want Jadeja to have the opportunity to score quickly.
Epic finish with Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj frustrating England for a session and a half. India get to within 22 of England' 193. For a moment, grapple with possibility of scores being tied on both innings for first time, after just ninth tie on first innings. Old ball, dying pitch make it difficult to get wickets but England don't complain about this one because they don't want Jadeja to have the opportunity to score quickly.
Last wicket falls when Shoaib Bashir, bowling with a broken left hand, is defended solidly by Siraj, but the ball trickles onto stumps. England don't go celebrating wildly, instead check on vanquished Siraj. Neil Manthorp, colleague on TalkSport commentary, sums it up perfectly: two heavyweight boxers who have gone the distance, collapsing in each other's arms. Everybody is exhausted. Good time for a break before the last two.
Sidharth Monga is a senior writer at ESPNcricinfo