I may be of the old school, but I’m a big believer that you can’t beat the cricket sweaters of the past. Old-style woollen sweaters were magnificent: they made you look like a proper cricketer and were very warm and comfortable as well.

The tradition of a young cricketer being given his county sweater was important, like being given your county cap. I remember when I was given my first Yorkshire sweater in 1956, I felt tremendously proud. I’ve still got it, which is a sign of how well made they were. I’ve got my old Leicestershire sweater, too, with the wonderful yellow fox on the front.

As an umpire, I valued the warmth that sweaters gave me. Players would give them to me to hold while they bowled and sometimes I would look after them for a while. I used to have several sweaters about my person, wrapped round my waist or hanging from lapels on my jacket.

I used to look forward to being given the players’ sweaters on those cold April days when the wind whipped across the ground. They kept me warm.

It’s sad that such traditions are going out of the game. Dickie Bird played for Yorkshire and Leicestershire and umpired in 66 Test matches

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