Written by Sara Malin, Founder of International Cricket Tours
A very special charity auction prize brought together long-standing clients, cricketing stories, and unforgettable Caribbean flavours
On 23 October 2025, Sue and Nigel Horne, two of our many long-standing clients, joined us for an evening with Lord Ian Botham, organised by Lashings World event group in Bournemouth.
Among the highlights of the evening was a silent auction, which included a truly unique prize: dinner prepared and cooked in your own home by cricket legend Sir Gordon Greenidge. It immediately caught our attention.
Sue and I knew exactly who would appreciate such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity while also supporting a worthy charity: another long-standing client, David Liddle. Happily, David placed the winning bid and it didn’t disappoint.
An unforgettable dinner & an invite to Gordons place next time we are in Barbados – December 2027 TBC
That amazing dinner finally came to fruition on 16 August, slightly delayed by Sir Garry Sobers funeral which Gordon had to attend in an official capacity. The 4 of us we were delighted to be invited to David’s home, along with four other friends, for what became a very memorable evening.
Sir Gordon arrived at David’s home at around 11 o’clock, familiarised himself with a very well-equipped kitchen, and began preparing dinner for ten guests.
Using his culinary skills, he seasoned chicken, fish, steak, and vegetables in a way only a proud Barbadian could. The flavours were outstanding — bold, vibrant, and unmistakably Caribbean.
The meal began with a Caribbean-style seafood chowder with prawns and lobster, followed by baked chicken, stir-fried beef, and fish in lemon sauce. Rice and peas, roasted squash, and plantain completed the feast. Sue’s birthday was celebrated with a surprise lemon cake and an enormous cheese board selection.
Stories from a cricketing great
Once the meal was served, the conversation truly began. Sir Gordon joined us at the table, understandably exhausted after cooking all day, but still generous with his time, his humour, and his stories from the dressing room.
It was fascinating to hear from one of cricket’s all-time greats about his move to the UK, the challenges he faced on the pitch and during long tours, and the determination it took to keep improving his game. He also spoke about the honour of being called up to play for the West Indies.
One of the strongest messages he shared was that learning often happens by osmosis. In his view, sharing thoughts, problems, and experiences with team-mates was vital to everyone’s success. It was a striking contrast with today’s world of single rooms and personal devices, where it can be all too easy to miss those valuable conversations.
It was a privilege to be part of such a special evening: wonderful food, great company, fascinating stories, and a reminder of the lasting value of shared experiences — all made possible through a charity auction and the generosity of those involved.
Lashings World can be found at https://lashingsworld.com/
There are still places available in 2026 for the fund-raising lunches and dinners with celebrities from cricket, golf and football available and can be found on this link: https://lashingsworld.com/business/
Sixes Celebrity tournaments. Next summer – 2027 – match bookings are already well underway.
This is an opportunity for your club to host a fantastic cricket day involving a six-team, six-a-side tournament featuring our cricket legends. We will bring six cricket legends, with each assigned to play for one of the teams. The event will start in the morning and include a fundraising marquee or function room lunch for 130 guests or more, with a Q&A session with the cricket legends. The tournament will finish in the early evening. We will provide all sound equipment, an MC, host commentators and, of course, the cricket legends.
To book, contact: info@lashingworld.com
