In this week’s edition of ‘In Search of West Indies Cricket,’ Roger Seymour examines one of the most popular cricket calypsos of all time. This past week marks 45 years since India’s famous Test Match victory, over the West Indies.
As the 1970s began, India’s cricket was on the rise under the astute captaincy of the Nawab of Pataudi Jnr. In 1968, they had won their first away series, beating New Zealand, 3-1. In 1968-69, they lost 3-1, in a thrilling series to Bill Lawry’s Australians and then held New Zealand to a 1-1 draw. ‘Tiger’ Pataudi believed in playing to the team’s strengths, thus, against convention, he would routinely select a trio of spinners from the fabled quartet of Erapalli Prasanna, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Bishen Singh Bedi. He supported them with the best cordon of close-in fielders India has ever had: Eknath Solkar, Ajit Wadekar, Venkat and Syed Abid Ali. ‘Tiger’, India’s best, patrolled the covers. The Nawab moulded the Indian team, from a factionalised dressing-room into a complete unit, no longer trying to avoid defeat, but competing to win. “He brought an Indianness to the team,” recalled Bedi.
When the Indian selectors sat down to pick the team for the 1971 tour of the Caribbean, little did they know that they were about to create history against their nemesis. Dating back to 1948, in five series, West Indies had won 12 Tests, with the other 11 drawn. India had never led on first innings, even once.
Vijay Merchant, the chairman of selectors, would cast the deciding vote that appointed Wadekar the captain for the tour. Years later, Wadekar would recount his displeasure with the team’s composition. There were no fast bowlers, no place for the experienced Chandu Borde; Tiger Patoudi declined an invitation and Chandrasekhar was absent. Farokh Engineer, the first choice wicket-keeper, could not be selected despite Merchant’s pleading, because of the cricket board’s strict policy that all players must participate in domestic cricket to be eligible for tours. The newcomers included 21-year-old university student, the 5’4” Sunil Gavaskar, HK Jayantilal and Pochiah Krishnamurthy, wicket-keeper.
The West Indies hadn’t hosted a Test series, since they had lost 1-0 to England in 1968. In 1968-69, they had lost 3-1, in Australia and then drew 1-1 in New Zealand. In the summer of 1969, they lost 2-0 to England. In 1971, they were a team in transition. The fast-bowling duo of Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith of the 60s, were gone, along with the dependable middle-order batsmen, Basil Butcher and Seymour Nurse. The batting line-up still included Captain Garry Sobers, Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd, Stephen Camacho and Roy Fredericks. Despite the loss of those experienced players, the West Indies were still favoured to win the series.
First Test – Sabina Park, Jamaica, February 19 to 23, 1971: For the first time ever in a Test at Sabina Park, rain washed out the first day’s play. There was some seepage under the covers at one end of the wicket and upon winning the toss, Sobers invited the visitors to bat. India was soon in trouble, at 75 for 5, their vulnerability against pace-bowling being evident again. Dilip Sardesai, included on the tour, at the behest of Wadekar, then led a remarkable recovery, adding 137 for the 6th wicket with Solkar (61), and 122 with Prasana (25), for the ninth wicket. India’s total of 387 was built entirely around Sardesai’s 212.
Vanburn Holder, had the best returns of 4 for 60. Despite an opening partnership of 73 by Fredericks (45) and Camacho (35), followed by 56 from Kanhai and Sobers’ 44, the West Indies collapsed from 202 for 4 to 217 all out. Prasanna, 4 for 65 and Venkat, 3 for 46 were the pick of the bowlers.
Over the adamant objections of his teammates, Wadekar strolled into the West Indian dressing room and loudly announced, “Garry, West Indies are batting again.”
“You only have a lead of 170. Have you checked with the umpires?” was Sobers’ startled reply.
“You check with them. You are batting!” the Indian captain retorted.
The room had been stunned into silence. Wadekar had done the unthinkable at that time, asking the West Indies to follow on. Their pride had been wounded and India had gained a major psychological advantage.
Wadekar had invoked the little known and rarely applied Law, 13.3. “First day’s play lost. If no play takes place on the first day of a match, of more than one day’s duration, 1 above shall apply in accordance with the number of days remaining from the actual start of the match. The day on which play first commences shall count as a whole day for this purpose, irrespective of the time at which play starts.” The law had been in effect since 1914, and only 150 runs are required in this instance, to ask the opposing side to bat again.
WI batted through the fifth day to compile 385 for 5. Kanhai, 158 not out; Sobers, 93 and Lloyd, 57 (run out for the second time), were the main scorers.
Trinidad and Tobago vs India – Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre, Trinidad, March 1 to 4: India made 464 for 7 declared. Gavaskar (125), Ashok Mankad (79) and Sardesai (92), were the top scorers. Trinidad replied with 338. Charlie Davis (100), Oscar Durity (80) and Bryan Davis (61), led the reply. India’s second innings – 162 for 5 declared, Gavaskar, 63. Trinidad second innings – 126 without loss. Durity, 64 not out, Richard Gabriel, 57 not out. Match drawn.
Whilst on the way to the West Indies, Gavaskar had had emergency treatment on his left middle finger in New York, USA. Now fit again, he and his Bombay team mate Mankad, replaced the Hyderabadi pair of Jayantilal and Jaisimha for the next Test.
Second Test Match – Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, March 6, to 10: On March 7, Test cricket was played on a Sunday for the first time in the West Indies. Among the sold-out crowds was a 23-year-old calypsonian, Willard Harris, whose sobriquet is Lord Relator. This match would inspire him to compose one of the most famous cricket calypsos of all time:
“A lovely day for cricket
Blue skies and gentle breeze
The Indians are awaiting now
To play the West Indies
A signal from the umpire
The match is going to start
The cricketers come on the field
They all look very smart…… “
West Indies won the toss and elected to bat. Fredericks was bowled by the first ball of the match, a shooter from Syed Abid Ali. From there on, it was all downhill, as WI collapsed to 214 all out. Charlie Davis, playing in his first home Test match, was 71 not out.
Prasanna (4 for 54) and Bedi (3 for 46), were the principal wicket takers. India’s strong reply of 352, was built around Sardesai’s patient 112, Gavaskar’s 65 and Solkar’s 55. Solkar and Sardesai added 114 for the 5th wicket. Thirty-four-year-old Jack Noreiga, who had made his debut in the previous test, had the remarkable bowling figures of 9 for 95 from 49.4 overs, including 16 maidens. To date, he remains the only West Indian to take 9 wickets in a Test inning. At the end of the third day, the West Indies were 150 for 1, with Fredericks 80 not out and Davis 33 not out, and back in the contest.
Disaster struck early the next morning, as the overnight batsmen and roommates were enjoying pre-game net practice. A ball struck by Fredericks found its way through the nets, cutting Davis over his right eye, causing him to be rushed to hospital for seven stitches. By the time he returned, WI had slumped to 169 for 5. Fredericks was run out without any addition to his overnight score. Sobers played over a delivery from Salim Durani and was bowled for a duck. Lloyd missed hit Durani to Wadekar at short mid-wicket. Camacho batted with a broken finger and was soon bowled by Venkat. Davis, using his feet, and playing forward to the spinners on a slow turning wicket, would eventually run out of partners for the second time in the match. WI were all out for 261, thanks mainly to Davis’ 74 not out.
Venkat had scuttled the lower order, with 5 for 95. Cheered on by the large crowd of Trinidadian East Indian fans, India reached the target of 124 with 7 wickets to spare. Debutant Gavaskar (67 not out), hit the winning runs. Against all odds, India had beaten the West Indies at home, with a day to spare. As India celebrated the historic milestone, the West Indians tried to forget their defeat by looking at the epic heavyweight encounter between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
“Erapalli Prasanna
Jeejeebhoy and Wadekar
Krishnamurthy and Vishnoo Mankad
Them boys could real play cricket
On any kinda wicket
They make the West Indies team look
so bad
We was in all kinda trouble
Joey Carew pull a muscle
Clive Lloyd get ‘bout three run out
We was in trouble without a doubt.”
Third Test – Bourda, Georgetown, March 19 to 24: Cricket-starved crowds lined up from as early as 2 am in their effort to get into the ground. Sobers won his third, consecutive toss as WI took first knock and compiled 363. Debutant Jamaican wicket-keeper Desmond Lewis, one of four changes, led the way with 81 not out. Lloyd collided with Sobers in mid-pitch and was run out for 60. Lloyd had to be helped from the field, and Sobers laboured on with an injured neck. India replied with 376. Gavaskar (116) and Gundappa Vishwanath (50) were the top scorers.
WI second innings – 307 for 3, declared. Davis (125 not out) and Sobers (108 not out) shared an unbroken, fourth wicket partnership of 170. At the close, India were 123 without loss, Mankad (53) and Gavaskar (64). Match drawn.
“It was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all.”
Barbados vs India – Bridgetown, Barbados, March 27 to 30: Scores – India 185 and 313, Jayantilal – 76, Gavaskar – 67, Wadekar – 67. Barbados 449, Sobers – 135, David Holford – 111, Keith Boyce – 74 and 52 for 1. Barbados won by 9 wickets.
Fourth Test – Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, April 1 to 6: Desperate to square the series, WI made five changes, including replacing the entire bowling attack. Wadekar won the toss and invited WI to bat. Sobers (178 not out), his third, consecutive century against the Indian attack in ten days, led the charge in trying to force a victory, as WI accumulated 501 for 5, declared. Lewis – 88 (opening the batting), Kanhai – 85 and Davis – 79, also made significant scores. Their confidence shaken by the Barbados defeat, India were soon in trouble at 70 for 6. Gavaskar, hooking at debutante Uton Dowe, was caught by Holder for 1. Later, he made a silent vow to never surrender his wicket carelessly, again. India then conjured their standard Houdini trick- Sardesai (150) and Solkar (65). Their seventh wicket partnership of 186, lasted four hours, as they occupied the crease until the morning of the fourth day. India saved the follow-on as Bedi, their last man, was given two chances. Bedi, dropped at slip before he had scored, then found himself stranded halfway down the pitch, as an overexcited Dowe, failed to make a clean, return throw. Sardesai and Bedi added 62 for the 10th wicket, a record for India, as the score mounted to 347. Extras – 30, was the third highest contributor. WI declared early on the last day, at 180 for 6, as they pushed for the win. Gavaskar -117 not out, in six and a quarter hours, would defy them, as India reached 221 for 5, at the close.
“Ven-kat-a-ra-ghavan
Bedi, in a turban
Vijay Jaisimha, Jayantilal
They help to win the series
Against the West Indies
At Sabina Park and Queen’s Park Oval
A hundred and fifty-eight by Kanhai
Really sent our hopes up high
Noriega nine for ninety-five
The Indian team they still survive”
Fifth Test match – Queen’s Park Oval, April 13 to 19: The final Test was extended to six days, as the series was still open. The pitch was a vast improvement from the one used for the second Test. India won the toss and compiled 360, centred around Gavaskar’s 124. Sardesai (75) and Venkat (51), were the main support. WI replied with 526. Sobers (132) and Davis (105), shared a fifth wicket partnership of 177. Maurice Foster, was unfortunate to be dismissed for 99. Lewis (78) and Holford (44) also made valuable contributions. At the close of the fourth day, India were 94 for 1, with Gavaskar 57 not out. Despite suffering from a severe toothache, he displayed patience, wonderful technique and immense powers of concentration as he single-handedly kept India in the game. His epic innings of 220 lasted 8 hours and 50 minutes, as India batted well into the last morning. Gavaskar became the second batsman ever to score a century and a double century in a Test match. Wadekar’s 54 was the only other score over 50 in India’s total of 427. WI, chasing 262 in 155 minutes, were 165 for 8 at the close. The match could’ve gone either way. WI dropped too many catches and Wadekar’s tentative captaincy in the final hour let the fortunate West Indies off the hook. Incredibly India had won the series 1-0.
“It was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all.”
‘Sunny’ Gavaskar, India’s 1966 School Boy Cricketer of the Year, in his debut Test series, had scored a phenomenal 774 runs (still a World record), at an average of 154.80, in spite of missing one match. In 1976, the ‘Little Master’ notched two more centuries at Port-of-Spain: 156 in the drawn second Test and 102 in the third Test as India scored 406 to win by 4 wickets. Gavaskar became the first batsman to score 10,000 runs and 30 centuries in Tests. Over the next 17 years, he was the cornerstone of India’s batting line-up. His unbreakable defence made his wicket one of the hardest to earn. Arguably the best opening batsman of all time, his name must be included in the list of the Best Batsmen of All Time. Statistics cannot convey ‘Sunny’’s value to India and Indian
cricket.
“Govindraj and Durani
Solkar, Abid Ali
Dilip Sardesai and Viswanath
They make West Indies bowlers
Look like second raters
When those fellas came out here to bat
West Indies tried Holder and Keith Boyce
They had no other choice
They even try with Uton Dowe
But ah sure that they sorry they bring him now.”
Wadekar, reflecting years later, felt the turning point in the series had been the Sardesai and Solkar partnership, during the first Test. It gave India the confidence to compete with the West Indies, who lacked the necessary penetrative bowling to win Test matches. India’s wonderful team spirit complemented by Gavaskar and Sardesai (642 runs), the spin trio’s 48 wickets and superb close-catching, were the main elements in their historic victory.
Later in 1971, India visited England, with the key additions of Engineer and Chandrasekhar. England were on the crest of a wave of five consecutive series wins over West Indies, New Zealand, Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan. On August 24, India beat England by 4 wickets, in the Third Test at the Oval, to end England’s then record, unbeaten streak of 26 matches, to take the series, 1-0. In seven months, India had risen to the top of the cricketing world.
The Nawab of Pataudi Jnr, the architect, was absent.
“It was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all.”
The West Indies, for the first time since the 1930s, had employed 20 players in a series, with only Sobers, Kanhai and Lloyd retaining their places for all five matches. WI remained in the doldrums for the next two series, going winless in ten Test matches.
“Little Desmond Lewis
Also Charlie Davis
Dey take a little shame from out we face
But Sobers as the captain
He want plenty coachin’
Before we cricket end up in a disgrace
Bedi hear that he became a father
So he catch out Holford in the covers
But when Sobers hear he too had a son
He make duck and went back in the pavilion.”
Lord Relator was crowned National Junior Calypso Monarch in 1965, won Scouting for Talent in 1966 and the National Buy Local Campaign in 1970. He joined the Grand Master, Lord Kitchener’s calypso tent, Calypso Revue for the 1972 Carnival season. In a telephone conversation last week, he confirmed that his classic’s correct title is “Indian Cricketers” and not “Gavaskar” or “A Lovely Day For Cricket”, as it is often, mistakenly, labelled. Composed in a few days after the series was finished, it was first sung at the Calypso Revue tent in 1972.
Lord Relator cleverly wove the names of all 16 Indian players into the song, distinctly enunciating every syllable of the unfamiliar names, thus leaving us with a readily accessible record. There were a few muddles, however, as Jaisimha is ML and not Vijay. Mankad is Ashok and not Vishnu. He neglected to mention the other Test grounds in the series, Bourda and Kensington Oval. Faced with the dilemma of the 20 players used by the West Indies, Lord Relator brilliantly managed to create a possible West Indies XI: Carew, Lewis, Kanhai, Davis, Lloyd, Sobers, Holford, Boyce, Holder, Dowe and Noreiga.
“It was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all.”
Lord Relator went on to win the 1980 National Calypso Monarch, with his compositions, “Food Prices” and “Take A Rest.” He has penned two other cricket calypsos, tributes to Curtly Ambrose and the 2004 ICC Champs, the West Indies. He is an expert at extempo, the art of composing impromptu lyrics on any topic, at any time, without previous thought or study. A household name in Trinidad and Tobago, he has written and performed several hundred, radio and television commercials. Lord Relator, nicknamed the local Sammy Davis Jnr, is an accomplished guitarist, local historian and impersonator extraordinaire capable of accurate impersonations of Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin and several calypsonians of the past.
The T20 World Cup is on this month, Lord Relator awaits with guitar and pen in hand.
Trivia Question: Who took the other wicket, when Noreiga had 9 for 95?
