Mike Gatting’s fine 179 was one of the star turns of the one-off Test match between MCC and a Rest of the World XI in 1987, played to commemorate the MCC’s bicentenary.
After MCC won the toss and chose to bat first, Graham Gooch struck an excellent century before Gatting really hit his straps, with him and Clive Rice putting on 201 for the fifth wicket on a good batting pitch at the Home of Cricket.
He batted for almost five and a quarter hours and hitting 26 fours before he was bowled by Courtney Walsh, but his impressive showing enabled MCC to declare on 455 for 5, with Gatting captaining the side.
There were four excellent days’ cricket in this match with the next two innings reaching similar heights, but with the Rest of the World needing 353 to win in the fourth innings, rain played its part and the match ended in a draw.