50 years ago today, cricket’s most infamous ‘streak’ unfolded at Lord's

Exactly 50 years ago, on August 4, 1975, one of the most bizarre and unforgettable moments in cricket history unfolded at the revered Lord’s Cricket Ground. It didn’t involve a famous cricketer or a historic victory, instead, it featured a ship’s cook named Michael Angelow, who made headlines for being the first-ever streaker at the “Home of Cricket.”

It happened during the Ashes Test between England and Australia. While the crowd watched the match with the usual English restraint, Angelow, reportedly on a dare, decided to do something no one had ever done at Lord’s. For a £10 bet, he removed all his clothes, jumped over the boundary rope, and sprinted across the field… completely naked.

Yes, a £10 bet. That’s all it took to trigger an incident that would live in cricketing folklore forever.

Angelow was not an athlete, not a performer — he was simply a ship’s cook who wanted to win a wager. But that day, he became part of sporting legend. His dash across the outfield stunned the crowd and left commentators speechless. Most famously, BBC’s iconic cricket voice John Arlott, caught off guard by the scene, described him on air with a now-legendary slip: “It’s a freaker!” — having never encountered the term “streaker” before.

The police eventually apprehended Angelow, and in a poetic twist, the fine he had to pay was the exact amount of his bet — £10. So while he made history, technically, he broke even.

Angelow’s streak wasn’t just a publicity stunt; it was a cultural moment. It brought unexpected humour and chaos to a game known for its discipline and decorum. And in doing so, it introduced a new word and phenomenon to the world of sport: streaking.

Over the years, countless other streakers have followed in his footsteps, but none with the same impact. Michael Angelow was the original, the first person to streak across Lord’s, and the one who, by accident or design, changed the way we remember that day. Even half a century later, his naked run remains one of the most infamous and oddly iconic moments in cricket history.

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