Yorkshire chief executive Mark Arthur says England’s breathtaking World Cup final victory over New Zealand ranks as the best sporting moment he has witnessed live.
Arthur, also an MCC member, was present at Lord’s to see Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid and Joe Root triumph over Kane Williamson on most boundaries scored after a tied game and then a tie Super Over.
He spoke of the club’s pride in Bairstow, Rashid, Root, Liam Plunkett and David Willey as well as Kiwi captain Williamson, a regular overseas player at Emerald Headingley.
Arthur has also revealed how he, alongside singalong chairman Robin Smith, were swept up in the emotion.
“I’ve been involved in sport at a professional level for 30 years, and that was special, really special,” he reflected. “The game was intriguing, but you won’t ever see anything like that finish again in your lives.
“I remember where I was in 1966, I remember where I was in 2003 for the Rugby World Cup win – watching my lad play Saturday morning football.
“I’ll certainly remember where I was for this one. It was the greatest sporting moment I’ve witnessed live.
“If a fiction writer had written that script, the twists and turns in the last half an hour, you’d know it was fiction. In fact, you couldn’t write that.
“Everybody was caught up in the emotion. It was incredible.
“Seeing my own chairman singing Sweet Caroline is a moment I will take to my grave!
“So much of the sport we see can be a blur, but there are some very special occasions that stand out.
“Another one for me was the 1992 Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s when 19 wickets fell on the fourth. It was brilliant. I remember it so distinctly.
“We’re very proud of Joe, Jonny and Adil and also of Liam Plunkett and David Willey.
“David was on that journey for a very long time. It was only through the emergence of Jofra Archer that David lost his place in the squad. But he was a significant part of getting the squad to where it was as world number one.
“Those five guys have done extraordinarily well for their country.
“The four who picked up a winners’ medal will be deservedly lauded for the rest of their lives.
“We know Kane very well here.
“He’s a very humble and modest man, a phenomenal talent who’s prepared to help other people.
“To conduct himself with such modesty and humility and masses of generosity towards the England team when he must have felt absolutely terrible, it’s testament to the strength of character of the man.
“You have to respect his parents for the way they brought him up.
“He is everything that Yorkshire Cricket embodies.
“If you’d told me that he’s a Yorkshireman rather than an adopted one, I’d say, ‘Yes of course he is. He’s a fantastic cricketer and human being’.”
