4. INDIA-WEST INDIES TEST MATCH IN BANGALORE 1974-75
The cricket craze in India was at its peak after India's series win over England in 1971. People were seen discussing cricket in every nook and corner of Bangalore (and it was the case throughout India). It was a wonderful period listening to expert views and comments from elders and seniors wherever we went, be in ration shops, firewood and charcoal depos, hotels, flour mills, buses, parks, school etc. We had the impression that time only cricket is important in life as the game has entered deep inside our daily life. However, only one class viz., parents were there to remind us that studies were more important and only evenings were meant for any type of sports activity. Regret to say that this advice did not go much inside our mind.
With so much of interest in cricket, I started watching some ranji trophy matches played at Central College grounds, Bangalore. Those days I was a part of a very big gang of cricket buffs in Malleswaram. All that required that time was Re.1 as entry gate fee for squatters on the ground. Some of the most memorable matches seen were Mysore vs Hyderabad, Mysore vs Tamil Nadu. We had enjoyed every minute of these matches having seen with renowned players playing around like Vishwanath, Prasanna, Vijayakrishna, Vijayakumar, Raghunath, Chandra, Venkat, Kirmani, Jayasimha, Abid Ali, Bharat Reddy. (Recently we lost Mr.Vijayakumar, who was Mysore's opening batsman and medium paced bowler. RIP). We had the expertise in reaching Central College grounds by walk/running with barefoot, as we were not even thinking remotely of any other way. The entire gang of ours was in sync with this arrangement. Some times, just to save gate entry of Re.1, we were taking an unauthorized entry by jumping compound wall through the cinema theatre "STATE', then a very old structure with its back compound to the Central College grounds. With test matches becoming fewer and fewerr, our interest grew many folds in watching domestic ranji trophy matches from where budding cricketers were emerging. By 1972-73, the domestic cricket matches shifted to newly built KSCA Stadium (now Chinnaswamy Stadium). We have watched many matches here that too under the scorching sun, as overheadcover/shelter came after many many years. We enjoyed in those days the all round performance of left hander B.Vijayakrishna, and batting of Brijesh Patel (nick named Ranji Hero) the most as we could equate with them for their strong attacks and counter attacks, as per our expectations.
Incame 1973, and our State lifted the Ranji Trophy by beating Rajasthan. Till then it was the monopoly of Bombay, which our team broke. Erapalli Prasanna was the captain and the team had star players like Chandra, Vishwanath, Sudhakar Rao, Kirmani, Vijayakumar, Vijayakrishna and others. We enjoyed those joyous moments to the full. Those days, a ranji trophy match featuring Karnataka and Tamilnadu was attracting crowd of not less than 10000 people. It is sad that today domestic ranji trophy matches are being played to empty houses (even with free entry). Even live telecast of these matches have failed to attract the viewers.
1974-75 was the year we were looking for, when the first test between India-West Indies was scheduled to be played in Bangalore's KSCA stadium. This was the first test match Bangalore was hosting and that too hosting cricket greats West Indies. There was a mad rush for getting tickets as we witnessed for the first time people queuing up/sleeping overnight outside the stadium to get tickets and watch the match they were dreaming for many years. For 14 year olds like me, radio was the only way to connect to the match. However, to our surprise, there was an announcement on radio and in schools the decision of Bharat Electronics to put up OB Vans in different schools to show the live relay of the match to students at nominal fee, and our school was one of the few lucky schools in that list. This was a black and white relay as colour was not heard of that time. A large classroom was converted into a standby auditorium covered with black cloth with a 20" TV to relay the match through OB van parked outside.
With my brother hosting, I got an entry pass with lot of struggle and fight with others. We were asked to assemble before the auditorium by 9 AM on the match day. I could not sleep the whole night before. Till 11.30 pm we boys in our cluster discussed about our plans and actions (especially carrying whistles and sound making things like bells etc. to make our presence felt) for the next day. Taking food or eating it was never an issue to be discussed then. Further security was not an issue at all.
Then came the match day. I was ready by as early as 6 AM and ready to leave to the venue (just 2 minutes walk from my house). However, I was allowed to leave only by 8.30 AM. One can understand my enthusiasm and also anger at this holding back till this time. It was as if sky was falling on me. I was checking my entry ticket every now and then which I had kept in a plastic cover so as to keep it safe for 6 days (1 days rest including). Finally I ran and reached the venue within a minute and saw there a huge gathering already, which made me restless whether I would get entry before the match starts at 10 AM. I looked a small boy in front of that mad rush. Someone was heard shouting that huge number of entry tickets have been issued without making proper seating arrangements to all. This further added to my anger. Further my height was also a drawback that time and I looked so short that time. By pleading and squeezing through the crowd I entered the auditorium by 9.50 AM. As I was not a youth, all my age group was made to sit on the floor. It was a blessing in disguise, as we floor sitters had been seated within best viewing distance. The TV was looking like a small box for those sitting back, who were seen making all types of comments.
It was 9.55 AM and the telecast was still not on due to some technical issues, which were being attended to by BEL engineers. In the meantime, a person carrying a transistor was shouting at the top of his voice that toss was delayed due to heavy overnight rains around the KSCA stadium and hence starting the match was delayed. We were just 8 kms away from the stadium and did not have any rains overnight. This behaviour of Bangalore rains remain the same even today. Just imagine our position. This was the 1st Test match in Bangalore and that too inside a brand new KSCA Stadium, where there was no proper underground facilities to drain water early then (The stadium was also not fully completed that time and the authorities have erected temporary thatched roofs over most of the stands). It was named as Chinnaswamy Stadium many years later and has now boasts of having world class facilities. Nowadays it is a treat to watch any matches there.
Neither the match commenced till 12 noon nor the technicians could repair the fault till then. It was announced lunch through radio without a ball being bowled. No information was available on pitch inspection, possible time of start etc. We were asked to go out for lunch and assemble again by 12.30 PM. I did not go for lunch and stayed back with our boys. Having waited patiently, news came at 12.45 PM that match would commence at 1.30 PM, with West Indies having won the toss and chose to bat first. I was in heaven listening to this, but it was still 45 minutes away and technicians were still repairing. Soon they announced completion of repair work and they were set for relaying the match by 1.30 PM. This was welcomed with huge applause and whistling.
When the 1st ball was bowled at 1.30 PM, we all jumped in joy as though something was achieved by us in life. This happened to be the shortest joy in my life as before the second ball was bowled, the relay on the TV started scrolling down continuously and we could neither see nor listen anything. The technicians again at it but could not set right till the evening. Our hope for getting it right on the second day was dashed by BEL announcing abandoning the remaining days relay due to major repairs. This way our dream of watching a test match was shattered. And again Radio came to our rescue. Finally, India was comprehensively beaten by West Indies, but Bangalore always remember this match for a long long time as it gave the world Sir. Viv Richards, who started his career and hammered a fantastic century through this venue.
NEXT - COLLEGE AND BEYOND
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