Farokh Engineer, India’s former wicketkeeper, attended the first day of the 4th Test against England in Manchester on Wednesday. Lancashire County Cricket Club paid tribute to Engineer and West Indies icon Clive Lloyd by naming a stand after them at Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
Engineer played for Lancashire from 1968 to 1976 and has lived in Manchester since retiring. Ravi Shastri, the former India head coach, praised Engineer during his commentary. He also joked about Engineer’s large appetite.
Shastri said on air as cameras showed Farokh in the stands Farokh was a real star in the 60s and 70s. Very famous. He is still the same. He tells good stories and eats a lot, even now. His plate is always full at lunch. I’ll tell you what he said in Hindi later, backstage.
Nasser Hussain, the former England captain, joked, He’ll be right behind you in that buffet line all day, Ravi.
From 1968 to 1976, Engineer scored 5942 runs, took 429 catches, and made 35 stumpings in 175 matches for Lancashire. His arrival changed the club, helping them win the Gillette Cup four times between 1970 and 1975 after not winning a title for 15 years.
Even though he has close ties to Indian cricket, Engineer doesn’t have a stand named after him at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium.
Lloyd, who captained the West Indies to two World Cup victories, joined Lancashire in the early 1970s as an overseas player. Lloyd’s long time with the club helped to reshape Lancashire’s cricket results.
This act recognizes Engineer and Lloyd’s important work for the county, celebrating what they did for English domestic cricket.