'I'm as obstinate as Atherton and as determined as Cook'

Derek Randall
One of the first men to inspire me in my love of English cricket was the slightly potty man whose 174 in the Centenary Test at the MCG in 1977, facing a fierce and savage Dennis Lillee, was quite special for an 11-year-old boy. Randall gets hit on the head – wearing a cloth cap for protection – gets up and says “no point hitting me there, mate, there's nowt in it”, gets hit again and just doffs his cap to Lillee. You can imagine the whole crowd going bonkers. And it wasn't just the batting, it was the energy. In a day when it was considered bad form to break out of a jog, he fielded like a modern-day T20 cricketer.

David Gower
It was the effortless grace, the fluid, poetry-in-motion timing of his drive as he sent a not-bad ball winging to the boundary. He had that posh demeanour that made it great fun watching him, and perfect timing that meant he didn’t have to bludgeon the ball like many players today. Somehow, as a left-hander to mostly right-handed bowlers, a perfect cover drive of his was even more beautiful.

Michael Atherton
His obdurate obstinacy in giving up his wicket was something to behold, even if it wasn't a thing of beauty. He was the cornerstone of the team and his determination to grind out hours and hours was something I found admirable. "You will not pass," he seemed to say.