Cricket Flashback - History Of Early England Tours Of India

Indian Cricket History By Abhishek Mukherjee 

The first major English team to tour India was led by GF Vernon, in 1889/90. They played 13 matches, of which they won 10 and drew 2. The most-anticipated clash was against the Parsees, at Bombay Gymkhana. The match was promoted as the "Cricket Championship of India". This was the only match Vernon's side lost.

Vernon's XI was bowled out for 97 and 61. For Parsees, ME Pavri – their star cricketer – took 2/3 and 7/34. The Parsees had to chase 77. They were reduced to 17/4 before Pavri (21) and BC Machhliwala (20 not out) helped them win by 4 wickets.

Another English side toured India two years later, with Lord Hawke as captain. This team was stronger than the previous one. This time they played the Parsees twice. The Parsees won the first match by 109 runs, Pavri taking 2/18 and 6/36. But Hawke's XI won the next match by 7 runs, largely due to an excellent all-round performance from John Hornsby (21 and 23, 7/46 and 8/40).

The Parsees continued to challenge the British cricketers based in India. In 1892/93, they played a two-match challenge against a team called "Europeans". This became an annual contest, known as the Bombay Presidency Match.

It was called the Bombay Triangular from 1907/08 when the Hindus joined, and Quadrangular since 1912/13 when the Muslims came. The Bombay Quadrangular was the leading cricket tournament in India even after the advent of the Ranji Trophy.

In 1937/38, a fifth team, The Rest, was added. The tournament was renamed Bombay Pentangular. The best Indian cricketers traveled from across the country to play in the tournament.

The last edition was played in 1945/46. The Bombay Pentangular was abolished after the Indian Independence.

 

The first English team to tour India in the 20th century were the Oxford University Authentics of 1902/03. The star of the team was underarm bowler George Simpson-Hayward. Their first match was against Bombay Presidency, for whom John Glennie Greig scored 204.

An English Army Captain, Greig was the first outstanding batsman to play cricket regularly on Indian soil. He played for Hampshire in the summer and in India in the winter months. The Indians had trouble pronouncing "John Glennie", and often referred to him as "Jungly Greig".

While practising at Poona Club, Greig was impressed by Palwankar Baloo, a member of the ground-staff who bowled left-arm spin. Greig practised against Baloo for hours, and rewarded Baloo with eight annas (half a rupee) every time he dismissed Greig. This was a lot of money, for Baloo's salary at this point was four rupees a month.

But the Hindus refused to pick Baloo, for he was a Dalit. Greig made sure Baloo was selected. It was not a happy experience for Baloo. While his Brahmin teammates had to touch the ball bowled by him, he was mistreated off the field. Baloo was served lunch at a separate table, and tea outside the dressing-room.

Meanwhile, two Indian tours to England were cancelled, in 1904 (due to lack of budgets) and 1907 (there was no slot available).

The first all-Indian side toured England in 1911. They were led by Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala. As chief selector, Greig picked Baloo and his brother Shivram. By then the brothers had been granted entry to the Hindu Gymkhana cafeteria and were playing for the Hindus in the Bombay Triangular (later Quadrangular, then Pentangular).

Baloo took 75 wickets on the tour at 20.12 apiece. None of his teammates got even 50 wickets. With 631 runs, Shivram was the second-highest scorer on the tour.

In 1923/24 Shivram, a third Palwankar brother, was appointed captain of the Hindus.

INDvENG Flashback: Parsees Challenge To British Cricketers