"Aapro Darius Burge had the unique honor of ringing the (five-minute to commencement of play) bell to signal the start of the second day’s play of the India vs England cricket Test match at the Oval on September 3, 2021,” noted a communiqué from the Calcutta Parsee Club. Attired in a striped red blazer, images and a short video clip of Burge striking the bell located outside the Bowlers’ Bar of the Lord’s Pavilion were shared with Parsiana. The previous month this honor of ringing the bell was accorded to former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer.
Top: Darius Burge striking the bell at the Oval: above: Farokh Engineer
"The ringing of the five-minute bell at Lord’s by an international cricketer, administrator or well-known enthusiast of the sport is a recent tradition introduced in 2007… It has become a great honor to be invited to ring it on the morning of a Test match,” notes the website Lords.org. The first two Indians to have enjoyed that privilege in 2007 were the former Indian captains, Mansur "Tiger” Pataudi and Sunil Gavaskar. In the intervening years, there have been five other Indians who joined this privileged group.
The distinctive bell was once used on the HMS Illustrious, one of Britain’s greatest warships. "Lusty (as Illustrious was fondly addressed) retired in 2014 after 32 years of service around the globe and the ship was sent to the breaker’s yard two years later. Historically important artefacts as well as useful/secret military technology were removed from the Harrier carrier before she was towed to Turkey for breaking up,” noted the website royalnavy.mod.uk. "Originally used for timekeeping, especially on watch, in recent times the bell has assumed much more of a ceremonial role on modern warships,” added the website.
Manager of the East Molesey Cricket Club under-21 team, 72-year-old Burge who has been residing in England since 1972 responded to queries from Parsiana stating, "The Club chairman asked me to represent the Club and I was pleased and honored to do so.” He further added, "The Indian cricket team were on my left and I wished them good luck.” Over the years he has played for Southall, East Molesey and now Surrey in their over 70s team. Working as an accountant, Burge started his own firm D. S. Burge and Company, Chartered Accountants that is now being run by his elder son Kieran although Darius continues to contribute. Married to Selena, the couple’s younger son is Sam.
Referring to his early days in Calcutta, Darius recalled, "I played cricket for the Parsee Club and took part in other sports as well. At the time having Rusi Jeejeebhoy (later East Zone vice president of The Federation of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India) as a Ranji Trophy player inspired us to play the game.”
According News18.com, 83-year-old Engineer has scored 2,611 runs between 1961 and 1975, chalking up two centuries and 16 half centuries, claiming 66 catches and 16 stumpings as a wicketkeeper. Besides participating in five One Day International matches he has been among the first Indians to feature in county cricket, playing 175 matches for Lancashire from 1968 to 1976. Post retirement he settled down in Manchester and was awarded honorary life membership of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1981.