Former Pakistan star Waqar Younis rang the five-minute bell before the third day of England’s Test Match against Pakistan at Lord’s.
According to Lord’s.org, Waqar, who is currently commentating on the NatWest Test Series for BBC Test Match Special, is regarded as one of Pakistan’s greatest ever bowlers, forming a potent pace partnership with Wasim Akram, one of the most fearsome bowling duos in the history of the game.
He took 789 wickets in all for his country, 373 of them coming in his 87 Test matches, whilst the other 416 came in white-ball cricket, as he played in 262 One-Day Internationals for Pakistan.
His 17 wickets in three Tests at Lord’s included a haul of 5 for 91 in 1992, contributing to his selection as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year. In all, he took five wickets in an innings on 22 occasions and ten wickets in a match five times. He is an Honorary Life Member of MCC.
His international career spanned between 1989 and 2003, before he moved into coaching in 2006, and later into the commentary box.
Waqar follows Darren Gough in ringing the five-minute bell, as the former England seamer signalled the start of play on the second day between England and Pakistan.
The ringing of the bell at a Lord’s Test by an international cricketer, administrator or well-known enthusiast of the sport is a recent tradition introduced in 2007.
The bell, which is located outside the Bowlers’ Bar of the Lord’s Pavilion, is rung to signify the imminent start of play, and it has become a great honour to be invited to ring it on the morning of a Test match.
