As a reshuffled England squad prepares to welcome the West Indies’ tourists for a three-Test series, the Carbine Club of London hosted its annual cricket lunch at Lord’s on July 1.

It was the tenth time that we had gathered for this event in world cricket’s most iconic venue, the Long Room. With portraits of cricketing legends on every wall, it never fails to inspire.

This year’s guest speakers were Mark Butcher, the former England batsman who scored eight Test centuries, and Courtney Walsh, the West Indies superstar who was the first bowler to take 500 Test wickets.

Both were on sparkling form, regaling delighted Carbiners with tales of triumph and disaster and their vivid memories of playing at Lord’s for the first time. We have since received several letters from club members, saying how much they enjoyed the day.

Joining us for lunch as guests of members were two sporting heroes from yesteryear: Mike Gatting, the former England cricket captain, and Tony Bucknall, the former England rugby captain. The years have rolled by but both were undimmed by time.

Our thanks go to: the Lord’s catering team for a superb lunch and first-class service; the Professional Cricketers’ Trust, which helped us secure the services of Mark Butcher and Courtney Walsh; and to the club’s supporters at National Australia Bank and Yalumba Wines.