Former Indian wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer and West Indies legend Clive Lloyd will be honoured by Lancashire, their former county side, with stands named after them at Old Trafford during the fourth Test between India and England. The naming ceremony is scheduled to take place on the opening day of the match, July 23.
Engineer played for Lancashire for nearly a decade, becoming a fan favourite for his flamboyant style and performances. Lloyd, who served the club for about 20 years, remains one of the most iconic figures in Lancashire’s history, both as a player and a leader.
“It is a fitting honour for the both legends of the club,” a source said as quoted by Eastern Eye.
Engineer, the 87-year-old, played 175 matches for Lancashire between 1968 and 1976, scoring 5,942 runs, taking 429 catches, and completing 35 stumpings. Lloyd, a two-time World Cup-winning captain, joined the club as an overseas player in the early 1970s and played a key role in the club’s success.
People would come from miles to see us play: Engineer
When Engineer debuted, the club had not won a major title in over 15 years, but he helped them win the Gillette Cup four times between 1970 and 1975. Engineer and Lloyd will be formally recognised by the club later this week. Engineer does not have a stand named after him at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, where he played most of his domestic cricket.
“They were incredible times, and Old Trafford was a marvellous place to be. People would come for miles to see us play. From the Old Trafford dressing room we could see Warwick Road railway station and before the game we would see packed trains emptying the passengers on the platform. We could hear the chanting and the excited chatter and laughter,” Engineer reminisced.
Lancashire was the most famous club back in the day
The former flamboyant cricketer also recalled the attention the team received during that period. He settled in Manchester after retiring and continues to live there.
“It was amazing, our lockers would be stuffed full of requests for autographs and invitations to parties. Everyone in England was talking about that great team, names like Clive Lloyd, Harry Pilling, Peter Lever and Ken Shuttleworth. That buzz lasted for years, and we were the most famous one-day team in the land,” said Engineer.
Legendary cricketer and Engineer’s India teammate Dilip Vengsarkar, currently in the UK on a personal visit, is also expected to attend the ceremony along with senior officials of the club.
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