Bill Brown is a rare species: an Australian cricketer who's lost a Test match at Lord's.

Brown, who turns 89 this month, is the only survivor from England's most recent victory over the Australians at the ground in north London known in the sport as the "home of cricket."

For English players, it hasn't always seemed so homely. That match took place in 1934 and was one of England's two wins at Lord's since 1896 in five-day cricket matches against its oldest adversary.

As the latest group of England players prepares for Thursday's second Test match following Australia's innings victory in the first, Brown said Lord's has a more powerful effect on visiting Australian teams than on the home side.

"It certainly inspires cricketers, including England's," Brown said in an interview. "Except we play there every four years but they play county matches on it, so what would be a big deal for us might not be for England."

Brown may have been on the last losing Australian team 67 years ago, but the ground in the St. John's Wood district of London had its effect on him.

An opening batsman, he scored two of his four Test centuries at Lord's, including 105 in the 1934 match England won by an innings and 38 runs. Four years later he carried his bat, lasting the whole innings to make 206 not out from a total of 422 in 1938.

Even in the 1930s, Lord's had built up a sense of tradition - it staged its first Test in 1884. And the hard pitches resembled those back in Australia, suiting the visitors' batsmen, said Brown.

Bradman

Still, in 1934 Australia succumbed to the left-arm spin bowling of Yorkshireman Hedley Verity, who took 7-61 and 8-43.

Verity exploited rainfall on the uncovered wicket to help dismiss an Australia side including Sir Donald Bradman - the sport's most prolific batsman who died this year - for 118 in the second innings.

"Hedley bowled beautifully and took us apart, we admired him very much," said Brown, who played in 22 Tests. "He bowled slowish left-armers on dry wickets and used to speed up a little when it was wet but he never lost his length or control."

Jubilation in the home country followed what was England's first win against Australia at Lord's in 38 years, Brown said.

Former England fast bowler Sir Alec Bedser played in Ashes Tests at Lord's in 1948 and 1953, and was a team selector from 1969 to 1982, yet he still failed to witness an England win there.

"Don't forget we lost a few years to the War, which makes the time sound longer," said Bedser. "I think it's mainly coincidental, though because the ground means so much to people, overseas players probably do raise their game."

Easy

Australians certainly do. They've won 12, drawn 14 and lost five in their visits to Lord's over the past 117 years, including three wins in their four most recent Test matches.

Their last visit in 1997 ended as a draw after rain curtailed the match. Australia had bowled England out for 77 - its lowest total in any Test at Lord's in the last century - thanks to Glenn McGrath's eight wickets for 38 runs.

Brown, who'll watch the match on television from his home in Brisbane, said he was surprised at England's run given the quality of its players over the years since he stepped out at Lord's for the first time.

"The win will come, England has had and will have again some very fine players" said Brown. "We're just very fortunate at the moment that we have an excellent captain in Steve Waugh."

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