Pat Pocock recalls England's tour of India in 1984/5

This was David Gower's first tour as England captain, and he hit upon the novel idea of taking the two best spinners available to him. The selectors took some convincing - Edmonds was too bolshie, Pocock too old - but he got his way and won the series.

As we're told at the start of the interview, Pocock had long gaps between his clumps of test appearances. I once heard him say that, over their long careers, he and John Emburey had very similar figures for runs conceded and wickets taken. But Pocock had achieved those figures in significantly fewer overs.

In other words, he was a little bit more attacking than Emburey and a little bit more expensive. It will come as no surprise to followers of English cricket that the selectors always went for Emburey.

Finally, let's remember the great Peter Tinniswood and his suggestion that the Irish dramatist Seán O'Casey wrote Juno and the Pocock.