Has cricket bowled over the fashion set?

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I’m heading off for a sunny day of sport in a smart Reformation white dress. No, not to Wimbledon, Ascot, Henley, Goodwood, Badminton, or the Boat Race. Instead, I’m going to leafy north-west London — St John’s Wood to be precise — for an ODI (that’s one-day international) between England and India at Lord’s.

Cricket , I’m willing to wager, is the next chic fixture of the summer season. To test the theory, I have somehow made it into the Committee Dining Room in the Lord’s Pavilion. This exclusive enclave is usually open only to members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), distinctive in their red and yellow striped ties and hats.

But I’m welcomed into the fold, Veuve Clicquot flowing from the moment the clock strikes midday and lunch coming courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks (there are also Ginger Pig hampers). But even more appealing is the sartorial potential. The Lord’s dress code is firmly smart casual, and while fancy dress is banned, it’s perfectly acceptable to play a little dress-up. There were plenty doing so at the ODI.

Over in the Presidential Suite, Ralph Lauren was co-hosting a glamorous event with the MCC, drawing a crowd of immaculately dressed VIPs as part of the former’s Summer of Sports campaign.

The Lord’s dress code is firmly smart casual Jason Hawkes The best-dressed in the crowd was Indian actor Janhvi Kapoor, in a cream pussybow blouse and brown pinstripe blazer. It’s striking that a brand so synonymous with Wimbledon appears to be tapping Lord’s as the next fashionable sporting event du jour.

It’s hardly surprising. It has all the hallmarks of a great British summertime day out — green grass, chilled Pimm’s, rules you can pretend to understand and, above all, an excuse to wear something nice.

Little wonder influencers have started posting “Looks of Lord’s” content on Instagram. It’s not hard to imagine Sienna Miller popping up in the stands in an Alessandra Rich mini dress next year, while Bel Powley claps along in a cute Miu Miu look.

Just remember: applause is preferred over cheering, standing ovations are not uncommon (if in doubt, just copy everyone else), Lord’s is a ground, not a stadium, and the Oval is pretty much a banned topic.

I know that the absolute last thing anyone needs in their life is another mind-numbing “core”, but cricketcore feels fresh — collegiate and preppy but still a little unexpected. Plenty of British brands have this encoded into their DNA. One is Kent & Curwen, which began as a university kit producer but has evolved into a stealth London Fashion Week favourite.