G.A. Gooch

174

G.A. Gooch 174 v Sri LankaBack to boards

Twelve months on from Graham Gooch’s ‘Indian Summer’, his 174 against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in 1991 set up victory over the tourists in the one-match series, which followed a 2-2 draw in the five-match Test series with the West Indies.

Gooch was captain of the side at the time and made 38 in the first innings as England won the toss and decided to bat against their visitors, who were only in their ninth year as a Test match nation.

Alec Stewart’s unbeaten 113 helped England to 282 all out before Gooch’s troops claimed a first-innings lead of 58. Gooch led from the front in the second innings, putting on 139 with Stewart for the second wicket on his way to 174 from 252 balls, a knock which took five and a half hours and included nineteen fours. It was a record sixth hundred at the Home of Cricket.

The skipper declared on 364 for 3 and Phil Tufnell’s five-wicket haul helped England dismiss Sri Lanka for 285 in their second innings as the hosts sealed a win by 137 runs. It was the last time Gooch would face Sri Lanka in Tests and it was his only century against them in the three matches he played.