by Sumit Gangopadhyay
May 27 to May 29. One of the most memorable matches in India’s 1936 tour of England. Against Essex at Brentwood.
Vizzy won the toss and elected to bat. But Ray Smith, Stephenson, Eastman and TPB Smith destroyed India's batting. Only Lala Amarnath held fort.
3 for 2 when he came in. And while he hit out at one end, wickets fell like autumn leaves at the other. 98 for 7. The captain himself made 2. Lala was now joined by that extremely deprived cricketer Shute Banerjee. The two added 69. When Shute fell for 24, it became 167 for 8. By then, Lala had brought up his century a century. India made 184. Lala was the last to be dismissed for 130. Extras 10. The nine other batsmen contributing 20 between themselves.
When Essex batted the same pair struck. 125 for 7, four wickets to Banerjee, three to Lala. And then Jimmy Katmore (136) and Peter Smith (105) added 214 runs for the eighth wicket. Essex 351. Lala four for 54 from 30 overs, Shute expensive but equally successful, 4 for 115 from 24.
Lala walked in at 17 for 1 in the second innings. Palia and he added 55. And after Palia fell there was a procession. 84 for 5 when Vizzy came in and managed to score 12. 103 for 6. At the same score Mushtaq Ali fell for a duck. At 103 for 7 it was again Lala and Shute. A partnership of 113 this time around. Lala was dismissed for 107. Shute unbeaten with 36. India 227.
Essex knocked off the 61 runs to win with seven wickets to spare. Lala 2 for 26.
Two hundreds in the match and six wickets for Lala Amarnath. Single handed resistance.
For some peculiar reason it became turning point for India, and in a peculiar direction.
After this, it was a tale of deprivation and mistreatment of Lala by Vizzy.
Translated from Bengali by Arunabha Sengupta