Kalli
waves his bat at his Team Captain, while Kicha raises his bat to his new
‘House’ Captain in the late 1970s at the Agri and Forest College Grounds
A 12
wicket haul at the Agri ground in Jan 65 earns Venkat his Test Cap
VV Kumar flies from
Calcutta to play on the Jute Matting to help Madras beat Mysore
‘Dey Chinna - Paiya,
choose the New Ball’ Venkat tells an excited young K Bharath Kumar at the Forest College
in 1978
The
Picturesque State Reserve Forest College (formerly Madras Forest College)
ground has played host to many a cricket battle both at the state level as well
as in the local league. Many State
cricketers presented some of their most memorable performances here at this
ground. It has also been a ground that has laid the foundation for many a
promising cricketer from the districts.
The
ground flanked by the British period Pavilion (renovated only a decade ago) at the Western End and the
historic clock tower at the Far Eastern end dates back a 100 years. Some of the
matches find a mention in the annual year book brought out by the erstwhile
Madras Forest College.
It
was here on the Matting wicket that the Tamil Nadu opener of the 1970s V
Krishnaswamy scored his first and only
Ranji Trophy Century and presented it as a gift to his new married wife Radha way
back in 1978.
1
km West of the Forest College ground and at the foot of the famous temple
dedicated to Lord Subramanya in Maruthamalai is the Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University (TNAU) ground that too has played host to some outstanding
performances that were milestones in the careers of players.
It
was in 1981 that a turf
wicket was laid at the Forest College ground. It was on that newly laid turf
wicket that a memorable Ranji Trophy match was played in January 1982 that saw
legends such as Venkataraghavan and MV Narasimha Rao take on each other for
supremacy in the South Zone Ranji Trophy league. It also saw upcoming stars
such as Mohd Azharuddin and Arshad Ayub showcase their talent to the cricket
fans of Coimbatore. A decade later, in 1992, Azhar was to return to the same
ground, this time as a cricket legend of Indian cricket and with a huge fan
following.
Historic Performances at the Agri
Ground
60
years ago, in December 1958 in one of his first big performances in first class
cricket, a then young leg spinner VV Kumar (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2007/07/cricket-tales-exclusive-with-vv-kumar.html) picked
up 6 wickets against a strong Mysore team.
That
match remains etched in his memory ‘I was playing a tournament for Philips at the
Eden Gardens in Calcutta and flew down to play this Ranji match in the first
week of December. It was on a Jute Matting wicket at the Agri Ground in
Coimbatore. It was not easy to turn the ball on a Jute Matting unlike the later
day Coir matting wickets. And Mysore was very strong side that comprised
wonderful players like B Frank and Krishnaswamy. I was very pleased to have
contributed to our side’s win on first innings lead.’
‘Even
though it was a very difficult wicket to bowl on for a leg spinner, I enjoyed
the challenge and used flight in the air to prize out the wickets for our State.
That gave me a lot of satisfaction to have picked up wickets two years in a row
on very difficult track for a leg spinner.’
The Agri ground performance and
Venkat’s Test Debut
In
January 1965, Venkataraghavan still in his teens picked up 12 wickets at the
Agricultural College matting wicket as he spun Madras to a 2 day victory against
Andhra. This Agri haul helped him secure him a place in the Indian team for the
first test just a month later against New Zealand.
Two
matches stood out in the 1970s one at the Forest College and the other at the Agricultural
College ground. Both had one thing in common – ‘Gifting’ after a personal
batting milestone and interestingly at the opposite end of the batting order!!!
For
almost a decade from the late 1960s, legendary off spinner and TN Captain S Venkataraghavan
had the greatest respect for the bowling abilities of TN Ranji Finals hatrick
star B Kalyanasundaram (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2011/08/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram.html).
Years ago in a telephonic conversation, Venkataraghavan told prtraveller as to
how he would go to Kalli for a breakthrough whenever the spinners (Venkat
himself and VV Kumar) were held at bay by the opposition and how Kalli would almost
always deliver the important breakthrough.
However
what did not go off well between Venkat and Kalli during the 1970s was the dressing
room discussion on the batting ability of the latter. Kalli always believed
that he was a good bat and wanted to prove that to his captain. Further
embarrassing Kalli, Venkat enticed him with a bet if he managed to reach 25 in
a Ranji match.
Eager
to prove a point to his captain and batting with determination, Kalli reached
24 NO at lunch in a Ranji match at Tellicherry. And was all ready to be padded
up once again after lunch when he heard a big roar of laughter in the dressing
room. To his shock, he found that Venkat had announced the declaration to the
opposition captain without his knowledge leaving him just one run short of
winning the bet. Kalli was furious with his captain that day for denying him
that extra run!!!
However,
the determined player that he was, he chose the Agri college ground in
Coimbatore, a place that was to be his place of residence for 11 years ( he
moved to LMW only that year) to win over the batting laurels from his captain.
By
September 1976, Kalyanasundaram had played almost a decade of Ranji cricket. He
had been on the verge of India selection a few years earlier but the time had
almost come for him to move on from cricket. There was also severe pressure on
him to continue to perform to stay in the team. And Chairman of Selectors and Team
Manager CR Rangachari was particularly gunning for him with a young Bharath
Kumar staking his claim.
After
TN had bowled out Andhra on the opening day, the team had managed a slender
lead on the 2nd but had lost 8 wickets when Kalli joined wicket
keeper Bharath Reddy. Venkat this time had indicated his intention to declare
unlike the surprise call in Tellicherry. Kalli, though, was not to be undone
this time and was all charged up to achieve the batting goal of his Ranji
Career. With the blessings of Lord Subramanya (who was just a few kms away in
Maruthamalai), Kalli raced through to his milestone and raised his bat towards
his captain at the pavilion at the Western End in a gesture of ‘I have done
it’.
The
professional that he was, the moment Venkat declared the innings closed and as
Kalli made his way back to the pavilion, he presented Rs. 25 to Kalli in the
presence of all his teammates, something Kalli says was one of his happiest
moments in cricket – to receive the prize from the cricketing legend.
Buoyed
by this acknowledgement from his captain, Kalli burst into the attack and ran
through the Andhra innings picking up 5wickets making it a delightful
experience for him at the agri ground. For
almost ten years, he went on to play at the Forest College and Agri College for
his employer LMW in the first division of the Coimbatore league.
It
was also at the Agri College ground that Ranji Cricketer NP Madhavan ( http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2016/05/np-madhavan.html) played one
of the best knocks witnessed at the ground with a terrific match winning
century against Salem for Coimbatore in an inter districts match in 1982, soon
after he joined SVPB Udumalpet from IOB.
Brijesh Patel who was drafted in by Soundararajan of SVPB Udumalpet had played many a sparkling innings at the Forest College in the mid 1980s.
Kicha’s gift to his wife
Two
years later, in November 1978, the forest college hosted the Ranji match once
against Andhra. TN opener of the decade V Krishnaswamy (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2016/08/krishnaswamy-v.html)
had just got married earlier in the year
and his wife Radha (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2017/08/radha-krishnaswamy.html)
too was present at the ground. Historically this ground was called the Madras
Forest College ground and then subsequently in the 2nd half of the
20th century had been renamed as State Reserve Forest College
ground.
A
couple of years prior to this trip to Coimbatore, Kicha had played one of his
best innings in Ranji cricket on a difficult wicket in Salem against Andhra but
his knock went in vain as TN lost by a single run that he looks back as the State’s
worst defeat of the decade.
This
time Krishnaswamy with his long standing opening partner from the college days,
V Sivaramakrishnan put on a century stand at this beautiful and picturesque
ground with the Blue Mountains as the back drop.
Kicha
reached his maiden hundred in Ranji cricket in front of his wife who was cheering
him on all the way through as a spectator. And like
Kalli did to his team captain, Kicha too waved his bat high, not to his team
captain but to his ‘house’ captain bringing big cheer from the entire team in the dressing room!!!!
‘Dey Kurangu New Ball Choose Pannu’
The
match at the forest college is also famous for another milestone. It was the
first match for K Bharath Kumar under Venkat’s captaincy. Bharath had made his
debut the previous year after Kalli’s retirement.
Bharath
remembers those moments after the declaration ‘Venkat shouted out in his
typical way. ‘Dey, antha chinna paiyan kitta new balls kuduthu choose panna
sollu’. Venkat always used to address Bharath as ‘Chinna Paiyan’ and took
special care of him. When Bharath couldn’t believe what he had just heard, he
asked if really he was to choose the ball which brought even more of Venkat’s
love for him ‘Dey Kurangu choose the new ball quickly’.
Andhra
ended day 2 (1st day had been washed out) at 20/4 with the wickets
being shared. The next morning, Bharath recalls, Venkat surprisingly threw the
ball at him even though he and Vasudevan had ended the previous evening. In one
of his best early spells in Ranji cricket, Bharath Kumar ran through the Andhra
innings in a fiery spell on the third morning bringing the Andhra innings to an
end before the first hour had been completed. After Kicha’s century, Bharath
Kumar picked up 5 wickets conceding just 4 runs. Andhra was bowled out for its
lowest ever score in Ranji cricket for just 29. Another great landmark for TN
cricket at this historical ground in Coimbatore.
That
spell at the Forest College gave Venkat a lot of confidence in Bharath and he
gave him many long spells over the next few years including 40 overs each
against strong Bombay and Delhi teams.
Vasudevan bundles out a strong
Hyderabad
Just
ahead of the biggest match seen by the city until then, a new turf wicket was
laid at the Forest College ground, the first in the city. In January 1982, the
forest college ground played host to a star studded Hyderabad Ranji team
captained by India cricketer MV Narasimha Rao that locked horns with Venkat’s
TN.
Two
relatively unknown names were also part of the Hyderabad team - Mohd Azharuddin
still a teenager was making waves in local cricket in Hyderabad and Arshad Ayub
was seen as a successor to Shivlal Yadav.
But
they all came a cropper against S Vasudevan who in a terrific spell on the
first afternoon in which he claimed 5 wickets triggered a sensational collapsed
as Hyderabad lost 8 wickets for 30 runs. Vasudevan looks back at that spell with a great deal of delight 'It was a very strong Hyderabad team and they had got off to a good start that morning. I knocked out Narasimha Rao,
Azhar and Khalid Abdul Qayyum in that afternoon spell that helped us bowled them out on the first day itself.'
The
crowd on that Friday evening just about had a glimpse of TE Srinivasan. The
next morning he treated them to some delightful strokes that he had come to be
known for. Unfortunately, the Sunday turned out to be drab for the packed house
as Venkat and Vasudevan failed to bowl out the defiant Hyderabad batsmen and the
match petered out into a boring draw.
Indian stars recognize the
Groundsman
A
decade later Azhar, by then a legend of Indian cricket returned to the Forest
College this time to roaring cheer from the huge crowd.
Chinnaraj, the head groundsman who retired recently after serving for well over three decades cherishes the memory of both Azhar and Kapil Dev handing the groundsmen Rs. 100 each for the services at the end of the match.
The huge crowd that had come to see K Srikkanth, Azhar and Kapil were rather disappointed as South Zone were bowled out for just 78 and North came through in a tough chase on a fast paced wicket. But this match remains in the memory of all those who were present that day for it was the time they got to see all the leading Indian stars from close quarters.
Chinnaraj, the head groundsman who retired recently after serving for well over three decades cherishes the memory of both Azhar and Kapil Dev handing the groundsmen Rs. 100 each for the services at the end of the match.
The huge crowd that had come to see K Srikkanth, Azhar and Kapil were rather disappointed as South Zone were bowled out for just 78 and North came through in a tough chase on a fast paced wicket. But this match remains in the memory of all those who were present that day for it was the time they got to see all the leading Indian stars from close quarters.
A Anthony Raj, the care taker at the Central Academy of the Forest College that administers the ground who has been at the Forest College since the 1980s too is saddened by the developments. 'The new principal was keen to raise the daily match fees by Rs. 1000 but that was not acceptable to the Coimbatore District Cricket Association and they pulled out. '
'I had seen the top stars in action in the 1980s and 90s. And there used to be big crowds coming to the ground to watch the matches. Now we use the ground only for our local college matches.'
Interestingly, the pavilion had been reconstructed only just over a decade ago keeping the heritage aspects unchanged.
S Sivagnanam, who has been a groundsman at the Forest College since 1981 and who retired only a few months ago, bemoans the lack of interest at the cricket association to maintain the turf wicket.
We had put in a lot of effort to prepare that turf wicket at the Forest College and it was much appreciated by the big stars of Tamil Nadu cricket when they came here to play. Even Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar were very happy and surprised with the pace on the wicket when they played the Deodhar Trophy match. It was the impact of the 'Kali Mannu' we had used. But I am very saddened that all our efforts in having the only turf wicket in Coimbatore has gone waste and that no cricket will now be played at the Forest College ground.'
S Sivagnanam, who has been a groundsman at the Forest College since 1981 and who retired only a few months ago, bemoans the lack of interest at the cricket association to maintain the turf wicket.
We had put in a lot of effort to prepare that turf wicket at the Forest College and it was much appreciated by the big stars of Tamil Nadu cricket when they came here to play. Even Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar were very happy and surprised with the pace on the wicket when they played the Deodhar Trophy match. It was the impact of the 'Kali Mannu' we had used. But I am very saddened that all our efforts in having the only turf wicket in Coimbatore has gone waste and that no cricket will now be played at the Forest College ground.'
7 comments:
Well written with lots of interesting facts
Good one
Delightful episodes of the bygone days.compliments.
Super stuff as usual... I also have some memories of the TNAU grounds... I have a old autograph book that a cousin, student of TNAU in the late 80s & early 90s, gifted me... That has a bunch of big names from TN & Karnataka of those days 😀
Nice article.
As a student of GCT, the forest college ground was quite literally across the road - GCT was to the left side the forest college ground to the right side of Thadagam Road. Got to go there a few times but never played. Tried to play some first division matches (All three big engineering colleges of that time GCT, PSG & CIT fielded teams in the Coimbatore First Division) there through CDCA secretary but that never happened. Still remember the beautiful pavillion.
Sincerely
Hemant Srivatsa
Partner, MURRAY & CO.
Sir, you missed out one important match where V. Sivaramakrishnan made 98 and 86 - it was in 1983-84
This one:
http://www.bcci.tv/ranji-trophy-1983-84/match/43
Yep
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