The Indians, and especially their captain, Mohammad Azharuddin, had small reason to think so by the end, but the First Test was as brilliant a match as the players could hope to take part in, or spectators to watch. England's winning margin made it look one-sided; and no-one would dispute that, from lunch on the first day, when they were 82 for one after being put in, England were in control until the end. Certainly England's win, inspired by Gooch's historic innings of 333 and 123, which broke all kinds of records, was the result of a powerful performance by his team, and following the victory over New Zealand in the last Test of the previous series, it provided the first instance of England winning successive Tests since 1985.

Yet it would not have been the match it was without the vibrant batting of the tourists. Shastri and Azharuddin made splendid hundreds of contrasting styles, and Kapil Dev struck a high-velocity 77 not out, jauntily rounded off with four successive sixes to limit England's lead to 199 and thus save the follow-on. Each was straight-driven off Hemmings's offspin into the building works that throughout the season masqueraded as the Nursery End. When India were challenged by Gooch's second declaration to make 472 to win, or bat seven hours on a crusting pitch to draw, it was possible retrospectively to see that they were fighting a losing battle once Fraser and Malcolm had dismissed their openers in eight overs on the fourth evening.

Such was the depth of their batting, however, and the dash and artistry with which Vengsarkar and Azharuddin batted on the last morning as they put on 51 at four an over, that it was not until the former was caught at the wicket, trying not to play an offbreak, that it became obvious there could be only one result. When Azharuddin followed 20 minutes later, superbly caught at third slip as he tried to turn a straight ball into the leg side, India's spirit cracked, and the score, at one stage 114 for three, was eroded to 181 for eight. A flourish by the last two wickets added 43 and so raised the match aggregate to 1,603, two runs more than the previous record for the ground, established in England's 1930 classic with Australia.

In similar conditions of pitch and outfield, true and fast respectively, Bradman had scored 254 in that Test, Woodfull 155, Duleepsinhiji 173 and Chapman 121. What, if anything, could be inferred from the fact that in 1990 the average scoring-rate was 4.08 per over, whereas in the four-day Test of 1930 it had been 3.16? A different lbw law, favouring the modern bowler, and the swing to heavier bats, supposedly, favouring the batsmen - Gooch hit seven sixes with a three-pound Stuart Surridge Grand Prix Turbo - left too many imponderables for the question to be answered.

Of England's winning team against New Zealand at Edgbaston, Fairbrother and Small were dropped, while Stewart was put out of the reckoning by an injured back. They were replaced by Gower, returning after seven Tests, Morris of Derbyshire, a new cap, and Fraser, recovered at last from a rib injury suffered while in the Caribbean. Gower, debatably given out caught at point in the first innings, was outshone, while through no fault of his own, Morris faced only 21 balls. The 6ft 5in Fraser, however, played a leading part. Figures of five for 104 and three for 39 were due reward for his accuracy, bounce and movement at a lively pace. By using Shastri to open the batting, India made room to play the 17-year-old Bombay student, Tendulkar, who in England's second innings brought off as wonderful an outfield catch as Lord's has seen, holding Lamb's straight drive one-handed at knee height after hurtling more than 30 yards from wide long-off to a point behind the bowler.

At close of play on the first day, when England were 359 for two, Azharuddin tried to justify his decision to field by pointing out that had More, the wicketkeeper, held a routine chance when Gooch was 36, the score would have been 61 for two after 90 minutes' play. But 653 for four declared, with hundreds also from Lamb (in 276 minutes and 187 balls) and Smith (194 minutes, 155 balls), painted the picture truly. Azharuddin had made a bad misjudgment, and England made the most of it. Gooch, sharing with his vice-captain, Lamb, an all-wicket England v India record of 308, went on to make in 627 minutes (485 balls, three sixes, 43 fours) the highest score at Lord's, the third-highest by an Englishman in Tests, and the sixth-highest Test score overall before being bowled by medium-pacer Prabhakar, missing an off-drive. He was just 32 runs short of the world record of 365 not out, scored by Sir Garfield Sobers for West Indies against Pakistan in 1957-58.

Shastri, who made his hundred in 246 minutes and 184 balls, absorbed England's fast bowling like a born Test opener, only to mistime an on-drive off Hemmings. By contrast, Azharuddin dazzled. Not a few strokes early in his innings would have been hard t

One of the biggest influences of my life. I heard Tommy Gun when i was 4 and i used to jump around and hit things, i haven't changed much. I would play Tommy Gun again and again and again. I started getting their albums, London Calling was the first one i got, it was a bit disappointing at that age cos i just wanted punk, i really like that album now, death or glory, hateful, rudie can't fail, clampdown, all classic stuff. I got into the Sex Pistols a bit but when you're six a picture of Johnny Rotten or Sid Vicous scares the hell out of you. Plus i only really like Never Mind the Bollocks. I can remember i was sat on my dads knee at my nanas house watching the news when it came up that Joe had died, i was devastated. I went to a Clash tribute band gig with my dad n his mates, one of the best nights of my life. As i got older i understood more and more of his lyrics. I probably wouldn't be doing graffiti if it wasn't for him, he made me want to rebel. He has got me interested in politics also. I advise anyone to lisen to the Clash. Even though i'vee played his songs 5 million times before he still inspires me today. There's a part right at the start of The Future is Unwritten where Joe is singing white riot without music and then it kicks in, that bit is class!

John Graham Mellor R.I.P 1952 - 1976
Joe Strummer R.I.P 1976 - 2002