All Indians and England players wearing black armbands on Day 3 of Leeds Test! Reason is…

David Lawrence, the first British-born Black cricketer to represent England, was battling motor neurone disease (MND) since last year.

“Both teams are wearing black armbands to pay their respects to former England Cricketer, David ‘Syd’ Lawrence, who has sadly passed away. There was a moment’s applause before the start of play on Day 3,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Lawrence was diagnosed with the disease in 2024, a degenerative condition that affects the brain and nerves, leading to muscle wastage and there is no known cure to it.

A promising bowler with extreme pace of his time, Lawrence’s international career ended when he suffered a serious kneecap injury while bowling against New Zealand at Wellington in 1992.