Farokh Engineer scores his first hundred at Lord's -at BRIDGE!

MCC members and guests took part in an inaugral teams of four bridge competition in the famous Long Room at Lord's on Sunday.24 teams took part during six hours of intense competitive play in the magnificent setting of Lord's Long Room.Farokh partnered Manchester Bridge Club proprietor Jeff Morris and their team mates were London players actor, James Smith, and Simon Cocheme.They scored exactly 100 international match points (imps) to win the event 3imps in front of the second place team consisting entirely of MCC members.

Farokh,who played cricket for India and Lancashire and is one of the few honourary Life Members of the MCC, was bowled over by the result- he had never won a bridge competition before! Members of the MCC stood,cheered and applauded when the result was announced by the Chairman of the MCC Bridge Society,Brian Wardlilley.

James Smith has been resident in Manchester for the last three months whilst rehearsing and performing in the acclaimed Royal Exchange production of "Harvey".He took the role of the psychiatrist Dr Chumley.He is currently appearing on TV playing the Senior Political Assistant, Glenn Cullen,in the award winning satirical comedy 'The Thick of It' which is now being shown on Monday nights on BBC 2. Whilst in Manchester he managed to fit in a number of bridge sessions at Manchester Bridge Club where he was introduced to Farokh Engineer by club proprietor Jeff Morris.

Farokh has played most of his bridge socially and it has only been in the last year or so that he has started to play in competitions.He has become a very enthusiastic player and despite his inexperience he rose to the big ocassion with a level of play and concentration surpassing anything he has done in bridge before. Simon Cocheme,James Smith,Brian Wardlilley,Farokh Engineer,Jeff Morris