Probashi- Sports
Probashi- Sports
First Indian Test Cricket Team
Battle Ready‐ The final eleven of the Indian team which took the battle to the English Camp . Seen here on the Lords ground beforethe start of the first test match
supporter sitting in the stadium filled with 25000 spectators the contest seemed a bit unfair . Both Nissar and his opening bowling partner Amar Singh purchased fiery pace of the wicket . Captain CK Naidu put pressure placing three slips and two short legs , reputation of the batsmen notwithstanding . Indians did not seem to be the underdogs .
With English score at 8 runs , Sutcliffe played a vicious inswinging yorker from Nissar on to his leg stump . Three runs later , the bowler brought one back at lightning pace to send the off stump of Holmes flying . The famed English opening pair was back in pavilion with score reading merely 9 / 2 . The unknown Indian side was no penny pusher . Coming at number three was the immensely experienced Frank Woolley later to find place in ICC Cricket hall of Fame . A misjudgement while taking the second run saw the agile Lal Singh run Woolley out with an accurate throw . Within twenty minutes of start the English were tottering at 19 / 3 . The English had not bargained for this , the English dressing room went into a huddle . The situation was alarming . Wally Hammond and English captain Douglas Jardine dug and negotiated the fearsome pace attack with patience and skill . It was not easy at the pitch with Nissar , Amar Singh , Jehangir Khan and Naidu bowling their heart out . The two batsmen piled up 82 for the fourth wicket till Amar Singh breached Hammond ’ s defences and clean bowled him . The English were still not out of the woods the score stood at 101 / 4 . And soon to depart was Eddie Paynter another of the world ’ s top batsmen in English team ranks reducing England to 149 / 5 . It was then that the Indian concentration faltered , wicket keeper Navle missed a stumping of the next batsman Les Ames even before the batsman had scored . This proved costly ; Ames went on to make 65 runs .
Had the stumping happened England score would have read 149 / 6 and exposed its tail enders . Not a happy situation at all . England was all out for 259 , with captain Jardine the top scorer with 79 . Mohammad Nissar bagged 5 wickets .
Indians openers Naoomal Jaoomal and Janardan Navle walked in to start the Indian innings under fading lights on the first day . They negotiated the new ball well and at draw of stumps the Indian innings stood at 30 / 0 . Clearly the first day had gone India ’ s way ; it was India ’ s Lagaan moment .
The Indian spirited performance continued till lunch on the second day when India was 101 / 2 , with two of its best batsmen , CK Naidu and Wazir Ali at the crease . Post lunch the English fast bowling machine comprising of Voce and Bowes fired and Indian ’ s lack of batting depth was exposed . The Indian middle order collapsed like a house