I first got into cricket as a very effective method of procrastination. It was the summer of 2006, and I was trying my best to get through the first year of university with minimal effort and work, when I came upon this fascinating anthropological anomaly called Test Cricket. Magic! It provided literally days of excuses not to practise or revise species counterpoint whilst watching the drama unfold.

If aliens landed tomorrow and demanded to see the most exemplary demonstration of human physical prowess, it is unlikely we’d offer archive footage of Warnie smoking a ciggie before taking the field. Nonetheless, it is one of the most unique professional sports that currently exists. With its lengthy duration and the intense physical and psychological examination that all players must endure, it succeeds in standing alone as a real testament to human achievement.

And why are we espousing the virtues of cricket in Limelight? Because there is something incredibly brilliant and visceral about the theatre of sport that is entirely unique within the sphere of entertainment – and perhaps it’s something we as musicians and music lovers can learn from.

Cricket, Classical Music