While the rest of the country were biting their nails watching Ben Stokes and Jack Leach play out the most incredible test match, I was on holiday in Majorca, sat by the pool with one eye on the kids and the other on the BBC live text updates.
Delighted with the win I didn’t think much more about it, that is until I awoke the next morning to find out my social media accounts had gone crazy and Jack was the talk of Twitter!
Once I returned home and watched the highlights, I realised what a massive part Jack’s glasses, had played in such a dramatic finish.
As part of my work with Somerset Country Cricket Club, I’ve had the pleasure of helping Jack for around 4 years. Like many people, Jack didn’t realise he needed glasses as he thought what he saw was normal.
In order to solve a small problem he had, we fitted him with some special contact lenses and those now famous glasses. We wanted something really lightweight and stable that fitted inside his helmet, so we went for some Orgreen frames and anti-misting lenses.
That’s why I knew every time he stopped to clean his lenses it was a bit of gamesmanship as they wouldn’t have steamed up. Instead he was using it to buy some time for Ben Stokes, who was obviously knackered after batting all day.
It worked to perfection and the rest, as they say, is history. My only regret is that I hadn’t made the logo on my lens cloth a bit bigger, then everyone would know Jack hadn’t gone to Specsavers!
The media coverage has been a huge surprise to say the least.... the front page of the Bristol Post and an interview on Radio 2 with Jeremy Vine.
As some of you will know I'm a rather average at best cricketer, but at least I can now claim to having made it on BBC's Test Match Special, all be it not for cricketing prowess!
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