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MADRAS, India, Friday (Reuters) - England captain Nasser Hussain made a nostalgic return on Thursday to the ground where he first watched cricket as a toddler.

The 33-year-old Hussain, who left this southern city as a young boy, said it would be a very special feeling to lead out his side against India in the third one-dayer on Friday.

"Tomorrow is going to be special for me and especially for my dad," an emotional Hussain told members of the Madras Cricket Club.

"This is the club and ground where 30 years ago I used to come along with him as a kid and hang around the outfield and pick up balls when he played," he said.

Hussain, who was conferred an honorary membership by the 155-year-old club, said he considered it to be as significant as receiving the OBE (Order of the British Empire) in Britain's New Year honours list this year.

"To be placed alongside such great names as Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev is a great honour for me and one that surely ranks just as highly personally as the OBE," he said.

Hussain, who initially fancied his chances as a leg-spinner while at school in England, came to India as a teenager and played cricket for the Madras club in 1986 and 1987.

"It was the experiences that I had here when I came back here in 1986 and played for those three months in India for the club that really completed me, both as a player and a person."

Hussain, who led his inexperienced side to a 16-run win at Cuttack to level the six-match series 1-1 on Tuesday, said he would be concentrating fully on the game despite all the memories.

"I look forward to playing before the Madras crowd here tomorrow," he said. "I know many of you will be rooting for Tendulkar, I also know you like a good game of cricket and that is what we will try to play."

DELIGHTED

Hussain's father Jawad, who played first-class cricket for the local state side as an off-spinner in the early seventies, was delighted that Nasser would be leading England at his home ground.

"It is the happiest moment of my life," he said.

"I had hoped and dreamt that someday he would play here, probably a test as a player, but never that he would be here as England's captain and against India at that."

Jawad said he was thrilled because many of Nasser's relatives and old friends would be present to cheer his son.

"I'm a proud Indian and always cheer for India but tomorrow, with my son leading, I'll obviously be rooting for him and hoping that he scores a hundred and that England wins."

But he said he would be anxious.

"I'll be nervous when he comes out to bat, I'll probably be somewhere outside the stadium, puffing away at a cigarette."

Jawad said he'd always be grateful to the local obstetrician who delivered Nasser in 1968.

"I can never forget her, she saved his life, because he was born a premature baby," he said.

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