London, July 21: The much awaited Test at Lord’s, the first of the four-match series between England and India, has captured the imagination of the cricketing world for several reasons. India will try hard to retain the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings while England, currently ranked third, will do their best to wrest the top spot from the visitors. But even before the first ball was bowled in this eagerly anticipated series, a landmark had been achieved.

The first match at Lord’s is the 100th Test to be played between England and India. And to make a momentous occasion even more profound, the match is the 2000th Test ever to be played in the history of the game.

A special commemorative sterling silver plaque featuring the names of all the former Test captains of the two teams was presented by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on the occasion. Embellished with blue semi-precious stones and zircons, the plaque that is framed in wood is a worthy tribute to a cricketing rivalry that has a long and rich tradition.

ECB Chairman Giles Clarke and BCCI President Shashank Manohar, BCCI Honorary Secretary N Srinivasan and ECB Chief Executive David Collier marked the occasion at the toss on the first day of the match through an exchange of mementos to the respective boards. They will also present former England and India captains and players with a specially made commemorative cap at an on field ceremony to be held during Sunday’s lunch interval. This will be followed by a parade of past players which will include former captains of both countries such as Sir Ian Botham, Bob Willis, Nasser Hussain, Ravi Shastri and Sourav Ganguly. Speaking ahead of the first Test, ECB Chief Executive David Collier said, “We are very keen to make the 100th Test match a great occasion for everyone and give spectators an opportunity to pay tribute to those players whose performances have graced previous contests between the two countries.” Mr N. Srinivasan, BCCI Honorary Secretary, said, “India and England complete a century of Test matches on 21 July, 2011. It is a momentous occasion and I join cricket-lovers in both countries in hailing all the players and administrators who have enlivened the India-England cricketing rivalry over the decades. Test matches between India and England have been keenly fought over the years, and we are poised to witness an exciting series.”