Monday, February 16, 2009

Lord Bonkers' Favourite XI: 3. David Steel

3. David Steel
With his grey hair, glasses and catchphrase “Don’t panic, Mr Greig,” Steel raised our nation’s morale during its darkest hour – I refer, of course, to our humiliation at the hands of the Australian fast bowlers Lillee and Thomson. Steel’s obdurate forward defensive prod became a symbol of national resistance: we had lost our steam trains, seen our currency defiled, but we were not going to let them get another wicket before lunch.

I shall pass over Steel’s subsequent leadership of the Liberal Party. Though I was one of the first to spot his potential as a batsman, it never occurred to me to invite him to captain the team.

Earlier selections
  1. Len Hutton
  2. C.B. Fry

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