With just hours to go until the first match of the Twenty20 Blast season, the home of cricket is remarkably calm.
Ground staff are laying out the boundary, stewards are being briefed in the sun-soaked stand and bar staff are chopping up fruit for Pimm’s.
But when the gates to Lord’s Cricket Ground swing open at 4.15pm, everyone is ready to make sure that more than 27,000 cricket fans have an unforgettable night.
The Standard was given behind the scenes access at Lord’s on Friday afternoon before Middlesex entertained Surrey in front of a near-capacity crowd.
Jamie Clifford, assistant secretary (memberships and operations), explained that the match always draws a “fantastic crowd”.
“Middlesex v Surrey is the equivalent of the Arsenal v Spurs London derby,” he said. “It means we always get fantastic crowds and it’s a game that’s got a lot of history.
“Twenty20 creates a buzz all of its own and both teams have fantastic local support.”
He explained that preparing for a T20 event is significantly less stressful than test cricket, with the post-work start time of 6.15pm allowing a full day for preparation.
“This is completely different from a work and staffing perspective. It’s a much slower build-up during the course of the day but actually when you get to the game itself it’s pretty frantic and full-on right through to when the gates close.
“There’s a lot to get ready in the build-up and that can be catering, stewarding or the volunteers that help people get to the ground. So there’s lots that goes into a day like today but it doesn’t all just happen on the day, it’s a long lead up.”
There are 400 stewards and 800 catering staff at the event, who all turn up in the afternoon and sign in at a computer before getting to work.
Ground staff are busy mowing the grass one final time and setting up the boundary.
Meanwhile, radio crews prepare their equipment in the spectacular JP Morgan media stand which looms above the ground.
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It was, as predicted, a busy night all round with a total of 2,380 burgers sold, washed down with 2,147 cups of Pimm’s. More than 33,000 reusable cups were used in total as crowds enjoyed a three-wicket victory for Middlesex.
It’s the kind of crowd and atmosphere unheard of in country cricket until the advent of T20.
“For county cricket, you would never historically have attracted a crowd of this size,” said Mr Clifford.
“Now it’s a part of county cricket life and it’s a fantastic occasion. People want to be a part of it and we get great crowds.”
The balmy July weather and clear skies certainly helped lure the punters too, with the UK’s heatwave set to continue for another week at least.
“Somebody once said to me there’s no such thing as a bad visit to Lord’s,” concluded Mr Clifford. “It doesn’t matter whether your team wins or loses. It’s a fantastic place, it is the spiritual home of cricket.
“It’s a place that every cricket fan loves to come and watch. You can’t fail to have a good experience here, particularly when the sun’s shining and the ground’s looking as spectacular as it does.”
Middlesex commercial director Rob Lynch said after the match: “Tonight’s 20/20 with Surrey has been a fantastic success both on and off the pitch. Fabulous weather, a full house and a thrilling encounter. We would like to thank all our supporters and sponsors for making it a night to remember.”
For all membership or commercial enquiries please contact commercial@middlesexccc.com or visit our website at www.middlesexccc.com
Brooks Macdonald, principal sponsors of Middlesex County Cricket Club for seven years, www.brooksmacdonald.com
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