The Independent reports that Dan Radcliffe spent his 18th birthday watching his first live cricket match - England Vs. India at Lord's. The BBC briefly spoke to Dan in a lunchtime interview yesterday.
Quote:
"The tabloid newspapers expected me to have some massive, extravagant birthday bash with lots of celebrities," said Radcliffe, who was sporting an England replica shirt, "but that is not my thing. Just to come here was a bit of a dream, really. I have never been to a cricket match before. I am 18 today and I'm very excited."
Quote:
"I've got Andrew Strauss's autograph and Sachin Tendulkar's - they were not aware who it was who was asking for their autograph. They were doing the thing that I do when I am in a crowd of people, which is to just keep your head down and keep moving as you sign."
Quote:
Strauss seems to have featured prominently recently in young Dan's life. Not so long ago he was in a nightmare that Radcliffe had.
"I very vividly remember him [Strauss] chasing me with a cricket bat, and it was during the West Indies series, where he wasn't in the greatest of form.
"I mentioned [the dream] in a subsequent interview and I heard this Australian voice in the back of the room say, 'Don't worry, mate, he wouldn't be able to hit you even if he caught you'."
Quote:
Radcliffe had not always been a cricket fan. "I got into it during the Ashes in which we were whitewashed, simply because of Paul Collingwood's double hundred at Adelaide, which is why he is my favourite player.
"The thing about Collingwood's innings was the celebration when he got his double hundred. It was so impassioned, really inspirational. It was great. He gave a great cry, it was quite primeval and scary in a way, but I liked it all the same."
Dan with a copy of Deathly Hallows
The whole interview can be listened to
here. A picture of Dan being interviewed can be seen
here.
Dan Radcliffe attends cricket match for 18th birthday (UPDATED PIC) 
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That's awesome! Dan's a down-to-earth guy...and I admire that. 
