Thread by @RandomCricketP1

"Let him have the toss. It's the only f***ing thing he will win in this Test."

That's how the 1979 Lord's Test began, with Mike Brearley letting Indian Captain Venkatraghavan have the toss. After the toss happened, both the captains claimed that they had won it. And while both

wanted different things, (Venkat wanting to bat and Brearley wanting to field) they still remained adamant that the other hadn't won the toss. Brearley's confidence, of course, came from having defeated the visitors by an innings in the first Test in Birmingham. Moreover, when

the match began at Lord's, another embarrassing defeat loomed large for the Indian team after being bowled out for just 96 in just 55 overs. By the time Day 1 ended, England on 53/1 looked on track to make it 2-0. Day 2 though went to the weather gods. Since it was the World Cup

year, the Lord's fixture was happening slightly later than it used to happen, and that meant a lot of rain interruptions throughout the game. On the very first day, play was halted thrice and only 40 minutes of play was possible on Day 2. England still galloped to a position of

strength on the subsequent days and by the time they finished their innings on 419/9 on day 4, they were 323 runs ahead with more than 150 overs left in the Test. Another innings win beckoned. Openers Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan began the resistance but both were out before 100

was on the board. That brought together Viswanath with a young Vengsarkar who was on his first tour to England and had been out for a duck in the first innings. The job for the two of them was to drop anchor and try to put the Test beyond England's reach. But that's easier said

than done at Lord's with Willis and Botham in their pomp, and John Lever and Mike Hendrick acting as the supporting cast. And that too in a rain-marred Test where clouds hovered over for most of the days.

A total of 632 deliveries is what the duo ended up facing. Viswanath faced

337. Vengsarkar faced 295. They did get some help from the weather gods when Day 5 saw 2 hours of play getting shaved because of rain. Both got out within three runs of each other with centuries against their names, but by that point the Test had been saved. India had played 148

overs to save the Test. The next Test was also a draw with the weather not allowing even two innings to finish, but Team India almost pulled off a brilliant heist at the Oval in the final Test chasing 438. Brearley famously slowed down the game when India looked set to overhaul

the target when the last session began. Only five overs were bowled in the first half an hour after Tea on Day 5 and Viswanath got out to a howler from the umpire that triggered a collapse that prevented India from levelling the series 1-1, which would have been quite something

especially in the context of Brearley's remarks. But we have to admire the fight put up by the team on that tour after the 1st Test. While the Oval Test last day still gets mentioned, not enough people talk about the last day resistance at Lord's by Viswanath and Vengsarkar.

Photos by Patrick Eagar