Under seam-friendly overcast conditions, and up against an imperious bowling attack, England were already staring down the barrel at Headingley in 1991. Coming up against the hosts were a West Indian side who had been unrelenting in their torment of English sides both home and away since the summer of ’69. And it was going to take the brilliance of an Essex boy entering the Indian summer of his career to defy a record that had seen England chalk up just two Test victories against their Caribbean counterparts in over two decades. Neither of which had come on home shores.

On the first morning it felt like normal service, with Malcolm Marshall and Patrick Patterson picking up three wickets apiece as England folded for 198. But a rare stay of execution for the home side resulted in a first innings lead of 25, as the tourists bombed out in freezing temperatures to 173 all out. So the scene was set for a true captain’s knock, one that would take an immeasurable degree of determination and grit to ward off the threat of the tourists’ devastating pace attack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhVQCkbPvcQ

As partners floundered around him, Gooch carried his bat throughout England’s second innings, despite a devastating spell from Curtly Ambrose that reduced England to a fragile 124-6. Derek Pringle joined his captain in a partnership of 98, hustling his way to 27 against a bowling blitzkrieg, as Gooch – majestic in long-sleeve sweater and trademark white helmet – strode imperiously onwards. Not even a three-wicket salvo from Marshall could unseat him, seeing out the innings unbeaten on 154 with England leading by 277 runs.

The West Indies duly limped to 162 all out, and the result went a considerable way to banishing some of the demons accumulated in the 22 years since the last home victory against the Caribbean tourists. It was owed in no small part to the belligerence of the England skipper, who withstood over seven-and-a-half hours of whatever Messrs Walsh and Ambrose could launch at him. It was a superlative innings that surpassed even his triple-ton against India the year before. One of English cricket’s finest ever knocks.