ENG vs IND: How Oval curator Lee Fortis turned hero from villain in five days
As the sun set on a remarkable Test match - one that ended with Mohammed Siraj rattling Gus Atkinson's off stump to hand India a six-run win - Fortis was standing on the edge of the square, glass in hand, sharing a quiet toast with his ground staff. The stress of the week had melted into satisfaction."Well, I was never the villain, I was made into one," he said with a smile. "Hope you guys enjoyed the show. The atmosphere was like the IPL. It was a great game."And it truly was. The pitch Fortis prepared gave the match life. On day four, Joe Root and Harry Brook made a daunting target of 374 seem almost too easy. The surface looked flat, the bowling looked weary, and the result appeared inevitable. But on the fifth morning, the same pitch, under heavy skies, began to speak. The ball swung. It nipped. Suddenly, England's chase crumbled.Siraj led the charge, but the conditions - the surface that had been allowed to breathe, evolve, and challenge - told their own story.In a week when he could have been bitter, Fortis let the cricket talk. The ECB's curator of the year for the past three seasons, he knows how rare it is to get that balance right - a surface that allows both bat and ball to shine, that gives us the kind of ebb and flow that Test cricket is built on.And while players and fans celebrated the gripping finale, Fortis was already looking ahead. With The Hundred set to begin at The Oval on 9 August, he was back at work - checking the square, speaking to his team, doing the job he clearly loves.During the match, his towering frame - close to seven feet - became a familiar sight to the travelling Indian press, especially when he was spotted behind the wheel of the heavy roller. It's not something many curators would do, but Fortis isn't like most. He's hands-on, he's proud, and he's utterly immersed in his work.Ask around the press box, and local journalists will tell you: "He's an interesting guy." Quirky, yes. But passionate. Committed. And, above all, deeply respectful of the game.advertisementThe Oval Test was one for the ages. It gave us a finish to remember. And behind the scenes, it reminded us that the people who prepare the stage - the quiet custodians of the surface - can shape the story too.Lee Fortis may not care much about the spotlight. But after this week, he's earned his moment in it.- EndsYou May Also Like
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Hindustan Times
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