It all happened 80 years ago but Perry Brown can still hear the hooting of the crowd, still see the ball rearing menacingly into the bodies of the Australian batsmen, still picture one of the bravest innings ever played.
The date is December 2, 1932, the place the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Eight-year-old Perry and his father, Bunty Brown, have come by bus and tram from their home in Coogee, dressed in their Sunday-best suits, to sit in the members' stand, to watch Australia play England.
It's the boy's first Test. It is also the scene of one of the most controversial matches in cricket history and, for Perry, the start of a remarkable record run in which he has not missed any of the 67 Tests played since at the SCG.
''I may have missed odd days here and there, but I'm pretty sure I've made every first day,'' Brown, who at 88 is also one of a few SCG faithful to have been a member for more than 70 years, says.
This week, the memories have come flooding back as he prepares to join today's celebrations for the start of the 100th Test played at the SCG, against India.
Recent highlights include seeing Steve Waugh hit a four off the last ball of the day for a century against England in 2003. ''That was a wonderful innings. Nobody went home early that day.''
But his most vivid memories are of the early days, attending matches with his father, a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, when Test cricket matches were fewer and farther between. ''These days you're saturated with them.''
No Test match is more memorable than his first. The previous week, Brown had his first glimpse of Don Bradman, who after a slow start, hit 238 in 200 minutes in a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria. ''It was slaughter.''
Now, he found himself watching the first Test of the infamous Bodyline tour, so-called after the English tactics of pitching the ball short and fast on the leg-side in the hope of forcing catches from the defensive batsmen.
''The atmosphere was electrifying,'' Brown says. ''The crowd were very angry when, as my father explained, they put the [leg-side] trap on. They thought it just wasn't cricket. And it wasn't.''
Was there trouble on The Hill, where the most vocal supporters sat? ''There was hooting, shouting, but no bad behaviour. There was no beer thrown or anything like that. This was was the Depression. People couldn't afford beer.''
Indeed, many people could not afford the cost of admission and watched the match from raised ground outside the SCG known locally as the ''Kippax Hill''.
Brown soon overcame his disappointment over the absence of the injured Bradman, as Australia found another hero.
''Only one bloke was scoring any runs. Stan McCabe. He was taking the ball off his ear and smashing it away to the fence. He just took his chances and on that day it came off.''
Brave McCabe went on to make 187 not out. Australia still lost, by 10 wickets. Relations with the mother country were shattered.
But Brown, who was a pharmacist before retiring, was hooked forever on cricket. Especially Test cricket.
The boy was signed on as an SCG member by the legendary Monty Noble - a ''portly, businesslike gentleman'', a former Test captain and official after whom one of the stands is named.
''He told me I must never lend my pass to anyone. And I never have,'' Brown, who today represents the second of four generations of his family to be SCG members, says.
In addition to his late father, whose long involvement with Indian cricket and horse racing brings added significance to this week's Test, Brown's two sons Leigh and Craig, and Leigh's son Andrew are members.
Today, Perry Brown will take his usual Test match seat in the Members' Pavilion, in front of the Australian changing room, from which he watched Don Bradman emerge to great excitement, and greater anticipation, to walk down the steps to bat.
Of course, Test match cricket has changed.
''There were no security guards, managers, media commitments and stuff like that when I started,'' he says. But the cricket will be competitive.
The SCG puts on a very good morning tea and lunch for members. And, as Brown explains, a Test is a wonderful opportunity to meet up with old friends.
''People like, say, [ABC commentator] Jim Maxwell, will pop by and say, 'Hello Perry, how are you?' And I'll say, 'well, I'm still here, Jim'.'' Eighty years on.
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