The year was 1977. Middlesex was taking on Surrey at Lord's in a must-win county game. The rain-interrupted encounter heightened the suspense. Nearly two days were lost to rain. Was the result still possible? Brearley thought so.
Those were the days when the pitches were left uncovered, surrendering secrets to the rain. Surrey was bundled for 49 in the first innings. This motivated Brearley to think outside the box. Ian Gould and John Emburey took their guards to open for Middlesex. They were not the regular openers. Surrey sensed something wasn't right. And then, in a stroke that would echo through cricketing folklore, Brearley declared the Middlesex innings after just one ball - on zero.
Brearley later stated that he wanted to forfeit the first innings and save time. But he was bound by the rules, as this could only be done in a side's second innings. So they had to play that one ball.
Before Surrey could even wrap their heads around the declaration, the Middlesex bowlers wreaked havoc again. Save for a 24-run partnership between Geoff Arnold and Jack Richards, the Surrey batters struggled to make an impact on the scorecard.
Their innings ended on 89. Now, the real chase began. Middlesex needed 139 to win. Only 27 minutes and 20 mandatory overs remained. The pitch, cleansed by the earlier storms, suddenly became a batter’s ally. Middlesex's usual openers, Brearley and Smith, were back and set out on the thrilling chase.
The openers stitched a 101-run partnership, turning hope into certainty. Smith departed for a fighting 51. Clive Radley entered, the tension mounting as the clock ticked down. The finish line was in sight - could they reach it? With just 11 balls to spare, Radley and Brearley hurled Middlesex across the line.
Brearley starred with the bat and finished with an incredible 66. The declaration ploy had worked. The win ensured that Middlesex caught up with Kent in the County Championship table, and they eventually ended as joint winners. Brearley's act of tactical brilliance was a sign of what was to come, as he would later lead England to landmark Ashes series victories.
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