by Abhishek Mukherjee
Lord's came very close to being bombe on 29 July 1944, during one of the many wartime matches. Here is what happened.

This was a one-innings match between the Army and the RAF. There were about 3,100 people, a decent turnaround at a time when lockdowns were common.

This was a star-studded affair.

The Army boasted of Gubby Allen, Godfrey Evans, Maurice Leyland, Dick Pollard, Jack Robertson, Charlie Palmer.

The RAF featured Wally Hammond, Reg Simpson, Bob Wyatt, David Townsend, Les Ames, Charlie Barnett, and Bill Edrich.

The Army reached 57/1. Flight Officer Wyatt, who led England 16 times in the 1930s, was bowling to Lieutenant Robertson, who would play 11 Tests after the War and average 46. He might have played more had he broken through in that Hutton-Washbrook-Compton-Edrich era.

Now, at this point, everyone heard a familiar noise. The cricketers, all soldiers, obviously recognised the German aircraft, approaching Lord's. It was designed to crash and explode.

The cricketers followed the drill and threw themselves on the ground. The crowd took cover.

There are multiple versions of where it landed.

Andrew Ward mentioned that it fell 200 metres short, on Albert Road.

Regent's Park, reported Wisden.

Then the most remarkable thing happened. Instead of calling the match off, the cricketers decided to continue.

However, the situation was obviously tense. Wyatt bowled a first ball, then another, this time a bouncer.

And Robertson hooked it for six.

And the spell broke.

What greater mood-lifter can there be, than a six, during the gloom of a World War?

What greater mood-lifter can there be, than cricket, during a pandemic?