Maurice Tate in 1926
by Arunabha Sengupta and Sumit Gangipadhyay
December 1926. One of the several matches Arthur Gilligan’s MCC played in Calcutta. This one is not held at the Eden Gardens, but at Sinthi. A single-day one-innings affair against the Anglo-Indians in Bengal. The home side is led by James McDougal.
MCC bat first. 114 for the first wicket between Andy Sandham and George Brown. It is after all a match scheduled for entertainment. Hence, Maurice Tate is sent in at No 3. It does not come off. He skies a catch for just 3. MCC declare at 222 for 2, in just 52 overs. Sandham remains unbeaten on 112.
And then Tate and Geary charge in with the ball. Four wickets fall at the same score, 13. A run later, another goes down. 5 for 14, Tate has four.
Tate switches to his off-breaks. It is not worth bowling full steam
At the crease is Habul Mittter. Remember him? In the Shield semi-finals of 1920, the fancied Mohun Bagan had been upset by the unheralded Kumartuli. Two goals to nil. One of them had been scored by Habul Mitter.
Now, with Tate bowling off-spin, Mitter swings his bat. Four balls, four sixes.
Not that it mattered. Tate got him stumped for 29. Anglo-Indians 103, a defeat by 119 runs. Tate 5 for 46.
But those 29 runs were glorious. Four sixes, one four.
Not too many batsmen offered resistance to Tate on that 1926-27 tour. For those few heady moments Habul Mitter did so, with plenty of audacity.