I'd given up on England. Well sort of. I was washing my Hillman Imp, listening to test match special as Australia were securing their second test victory of the 1981 series.
Ok, Ian Botham, Graham Dilley and Chris Old had offered some batting resistance but the Aussies only needed 150 and were making reasonably short work of it.
So I went out to give my motor a polish, while keeping half an ear on the radio.
I can't remember how many wickets Bob Willis had cleaned up before I darted inside to watch one of the completion of one of the greatest turnaround's in cricket history.
Yes, I can remember where I was the day of that momentous triumph. And I can remember the very next day being in the press box at Edgbaston, the home ground of Willis's team Warwickshire.
As you can tell, I am not writing about a foreign subject like motorbikes, Irish dancing or Bollywood here.
Cricket has been a lifelong passion.
Indeed, in the early 1980s, when teenage lads had haircuts like that of the lead singer of the Human League or even slapped on make-up like that bloke from Japan, I cultivated a ginger-ish beard, just like my hero - Ian Botham. When he went for a moustache, I followed suit. He drank pints of beer from big chunky glasses - me too.
The drama of 1981 when Botham led England to the most dramatic cricket victory ever is captured splendidly in James Erskine's documentary.
What a shame that only myself, a work colleague and his brother were at Derby's Showcase De Luxe to enjoy it and the question and answer session which followed, led by Alastair Campbell.
Erskine's film has historical context. It shows footage from the riots which swept across the country as unemployment and racism was rife.
England was bleak and was only brightened by the Royal Wedding....and The Ashes.
Willis played a major role in England's victory but it was all about Beefy Botham, the deposed captain who fought back to claim glory in wonderfully cavalier style.
What Erskine also probed were the considerable rifts in the Australian camp. That was the side of the story which I didn't know.
The film has much footage from the time and honest interviews from the combatants and commentators (there was even a clip of my boyhood hero John Arlott).
On the whole, it was a super night and I am only sorry that it was so poorly attended.
Rating for the movie? 8/10
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