A View From the Boundary England v South Africa, The Oval, 6 September 2003

Tarrant has become a regular for the Lord's Taverners

A chorus of coughing breaks out in the commentary box and it is soon apparent that Chris Tarrant has made an appearance.

It's a common ailment of those in the presenter's company ever since the underhand efforts of Major Charles Ingrams to land the winning cheque on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

But a day at the cricket is the perfect remedy to any ringing in the ears for a keen cricket fan, particularly when you see your side performing to the best of their ability.

"It's rather nice to be watching England do terribly well," Tarrant said after watching Marcus Trescothick and Graham Thorpe make serene progress to lunch on the third day.

"And it's good to see Thorpe back. Over the years we've sat back and asked whether the selectors were on the same planet, but now we've got the best players in England representing us and doing well.

"I think cricket's in a healthy state, although there's the big underlying problem of the county game."

And Tarrant was more than pleased with his vantage point from the Test Match Special box.

"I go to Lord's quite a lot but even in the posh boxes you see it from the side and at more than 80mph you can't see the cricket ball leave the hand.

"Sitting in the commentary box is great because you've got the perfect view."

But Tarrant is far from an armchair cricket fan, although, like all facets of his life, he insists on having fun when he does don the whites.

Ian Botham is an old friend dating back to his playing days

"I used to play rugby and cricket and the lot, but cricket is very much my favourite sport, probably because it's the one I can still do in my vintage years.

"I play a lot for the Taverners and there are a few familiar faces in the box," he said in reference to the likes of Christopher Martin-Jenkins and Bill Frindall.

And Tarrant's visit to The Oval's media centre allowed him the chance to catch up with plenty of friendly faces, including Ian Botham and David Gower.

"Needless to say Ian started wittering on about the state of the Tyne and that there weren't enough salmon," he said of his brief meeting with Botham in the bowels of the pavilion.

"I've known him forever and knew him when he was at the peak of his cricket career.

"He was hard work socially to stay up with all night. I managed, but it was hard work and he still is.

"I know him now as a salmon fisher, but he fishes hard and does it like everything else. He's a great shot, a great golfer, he's great at everything, particularly the way he tells it."

Tarrant's association with Gower stems from his days of producing and presenting Tiswas.

"David thought he was going to come on and talk about cricket and we just pelted him with rubbish, poured beans down his trousers, covered him in custard and left him sopping wet for two hours."

Gower had been told by his agent that it would be a good career move.

They were great days and I have fond memories as it started everything Tarrant on Tiswas

Whether the former England captain feels it proved beneficial is not known, but Tarrant's association with the Saturday morning show proved to be the springboard to a highly successful career.

From Tiswas to Capital Radio to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, Tarrant has been a fixture on television and radio ever since.

His life in the media spotlight is all a far cry from the "strange jobs" he did after leaving university, which culminated in a teaching post in New Cross, south-east London.

"The small percentage who wanted to learn hadn't a cat in hells chance and the main thrust of every lesson was to get them sitting down.

"Some of them were taller than me and it was quite grim and not a huge amount of fun."

Tarrant has made up for it ever since and that includes his cricket with the Taverners.

"I don't take it very seriously. We are there to entertain and make money for handicapped kids.

"It's a very pleasurable charity and has become a major part of my life."

A chorus of coughing from the back of the box meets mention of the word "major", a pavlovian response Tarrant faces wherever he goes these days, and that includes the cricket.