Half a million cheered “Good old Pip” and the King hailed the triumphant Prince. Epilogue to Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘A Maharaja’s Turf’.

('A Maharaja's Turf' is a collector's edition on the triumph of Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in the Epsom Derby 1934, the only Indian owner ever to win the much-coveted blue riband of the turf as his Irish-bred horse Windsor Lad finished first on that damp afternoon of 6th June that year. The book has been written by the Maharaja's grandson Indra Vikram Singh).

This is the story of a man who followed his dream, of a prince who set his eyes on a lofty goal, worked towards it assiduously, relentlessly and intelligently, with passion and patience, and eventually won the biggest prize of them all. Horses were the passion of Maharana Vijaysinhji, ruler of Rajpipla. He wanted to own the best horses in the world, and to win the most prestigious horse races devised by man. Minor successes did not satisfy the ambitious young man. He wanted dearly to reach the pinnacle, and did. That is why it is such an inspiring tale.

Succeeding his father Maharana Chhatrasinhji as ruler of the 4,000 square kilometres first-class Rajpipla State in the Rewakantha Agency of the Bombay Presidency in the year 1915, the adroit Vijaysinhji established himself as a leading light of the Indian racecourses very early. In 1919 he won the first-ever Indian Derby, then known as the Country Bred Derby and run in Calcutta, with his Kunigal-bred horse Tipster, ridden by the famous Australian jockey ‘Bunty’ Brown.

Having been bestowed with the title of Maharaja in 1921, Vijaysinhji then set his eyes on the centre of the Empire and travelled extensively the next year in the British Isles, Europe and United States of America, not just exploring the racing world and western society, but also studying the workings of modern governments, systems and institutions. He called on President Warren Harding in Washington, and visited New York to gain first-hand knowledge of the stock exchange. Back in England, he bought himself an estate near London on the banks of the Thames, with a 27-room Victorian mansion and extensive grounds, named ‘The Manor’ at Old Windsor in Berkshire.

The world’s leading trainers and jockeys were regular guests at Maharaja Vijaysinhji’s sprawling seaside ‘Palm Beach’ Nepeansea Road residence at Bombay, and the grand ‘Sommerville Guest House’ at Nandod (New Rajpipla town), the capital of Rajpipla State. Steve Donoghue, an expert on the great Epsom Derby, was a visitor in 1924. Quizzed about the path to a Derby win, the legendary jockey advised his host to buy a good yearling or two every year. On returning home Donoghue purchased Embargo for the Maharaja that summer, and rode him to victory in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas as well as Irish Derby in 1926. Vijaysinhji, who had been knighted the previous year, felt convinced that he was well on the way to realising his big aspiration.

Winning the blue riband of the turf was, however, not such an easy ride. A caller in 1932 was the celebrated trainer Fred Darling, whose input was to start breeding with good mares (which matter 75 per cent as the Maharaja himself held) and a proven stallion. And so the keen Vijaysinhji started a stud in England with Embargo as sire, even as he continued buying high quality yearlings.

In July the same year, Darling’s protege Marcus Marsh, now training for the Maharaja, spotted a promising colt at the Newmarket sales, and received approval to purchase him. They named him Windsor Lad. The genial animal shaped extremely well under the tutelage of Marsh, a younger son of the late Richard Marsh who had trained three Derby winners for King Edward VII, and later trained the horses of the reigning King George V.

In 1933 Windsor Lad won the Criterion at Newmarket. As a three-year-old in 1934 he finished at the head of the field in the 1 ½ miles Chester Vase and the mile-long Newmarket Stakes. His discerning owner was now certain that the colt had the requisite stamina as well as speed.

The favourite for the Derby was the unbeaten Colombo, winner of seven races in 1933 and two in the current season of 1934. But he had not proved himself in a twelve furlong race, and Maharaja Vijaysinhji confidently stated that Colombo did not worry him. So sure was he of Windsor Lad’s prowess that in a signed article later he declared that he didn’t think he would win the Derby, he knew.

An estimated half a million people began descending on the Epsom Downs right since daybreak on 6th June 1934. Around noon dark clouds drifted in and a sharp shower broke the three-week-long dry spell. Just at this time the royal cavalcade drove in led by the Rolls-Royce of King George V and Queen Mary; and followed by those carrying the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, parents of the present Queen Elizabeth II; other members of the family and the King of Greece. The Prince of Wales, who succeeded as King Edward VIII but abdicated soon, joined them a little later.

There was a huge buzz around the race as usual, but more so for the prophesy of Gipsy Lee, made as far back 1868, that a horse with a ‘W’ in its name would win in 1934. There were also a number of uncanny coincidences around the number 13, which particularly enchanted the ladies, who backed Windsor Lad.

They were off five minutes after the scheduled 3 o’clock start, and Donoghue on Medieval Knight set a fast pace by the side of the rails, with Colombo right behind. But reaching the top of the hill, the leader cracked and Colombo was baulked coming down the hill towards the iconic Tattenham Corner. Seizing the opportunity, Tiberius slipped through, pursued closely by Easton and Windsor Lad.

Just after taking the big bend to the left, Tiberius began to fade and was passed. The dashing Charlie Smirke – returning after a ban of five years – soon breezed Windsor Lad along the rails past Easton. Meanwhile Colombo recovered and made a great run on the outside in the centre of the course. The crowd thought that the hitherto invincible favourite would carry the day yet again, and began yelling “Colombo wins”. In the final furlong the three horses were bunched closely together. At this moment Colombo’s stamina failed him even as Windsor Lad surged to the post, equalling the record of 2 minutes 34 seconds set up by Hyperion the previous year.

The jubilant 44-year-old Maharaja was already a popular figure on the English racecourses and had been affectionately nicknamed ‘Pip’ by friends and the public alike. Now the multitude roared “Good old Pip” as he led his victorious colt back to the unsaddling area. Soon the King invited Maharaja Vijaysinhji to the royal box, high up above the finishing post, and raised a toast to this exhilarating win.

Lady luck had indeed smiled on the Indian prince when Colombo got hemmed in behind Medieval Knight, but ultimately it was the deft training of Marsh, the speed and stamina of the muscular Windsor Lad, and the skill of Smirke that carried the day.

No other Indian owner had won the Derby before, nor one after, in its history dating back to 1780. One of the first to congratulate Maharaja Vijaysinhji was his close friend the Aga Khan, himself a distinguished Derby winner. Dreams do indeed come true, if you persist long enough. During the Second World War, Maharaja Vijaysinhji donated two Spitfire aircrafts named ‘Rajpipla’ and ‘Windsor Lad’, and the headlines ran “Windsor Lad will fly”. The Maharaja was honoured with an MBE in 1945, and when the winds of change wafted in, he merged his State with the Union of India in 1948, bringing down the curtain on the 600-year rule of the Gohil Rajputs over Rajpipla State.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh, Prince of Rajpipla and grandson of HH Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji, can be contacted on email teddy.rajpipla@gmail.com).

Follow Indra Vikram Singh on Twitter @IVRajpipla. 

Indra Vikram Singh’s latest books published by Sporting Links :

A Maharaja’s Turf  ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket  ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Don’s Century  ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Crowning Glory  ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

Distributed in India by :  

Variety Book Depot, 

AVG Bhawan, 

M-3, Middle Circle, Connaught Circus,

New Delhi - 110 001. Tel. (011) 23417175, 23412567.

Indra Vikram Singh’s books are available in leading bookstores and online on many websites.

Excerpts from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'Don's Century' ..... 30 - Chapter 7 : PEERLESS RUNGETTER AND OTHER MASTERS OF THE WILLOW (35. Matthew Hayden)

('Don's Century' is a book on the cricket career and life of Don Bradman, paying tribute to him in 2008, the year of his birth centenary. It is also a panorama of batting from the 1860s onwards featuring 35 of the greatest batsmen and discussing whether Don Bradman was indeed the greatest of them all).

For long his colleague Matthew Hayden sizzled in the first-class game, but fizzled at the highest level. His successes for Queensland did not translate into performances of any note for Australia. His first stint was mediocre and he was dropped. The big man continued to persevere, scoring heavily in domestic cricket, finally making his breakthrough at the age of 29 in the 2000-01 series in India. It has been forgotten that in that big turnaround in the Kolkata Test, engineered by the Herculean partnership between V.V.S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid, Hayden was a star performer for Australia with scores of 97 and 67. Since then the southpaw did not look back. Each year from 2001 to 2005 he hit up 1000 Test runs. Forging highly successful left-handed opening partnerships, with Adam Gilchrist in the One-dayers and Justin Langer in Tests, Hayden played a key role in Australia’s golden run.

The big bully advanced menacingly down the pitch, almost intimidating the bowlers like a giant caveman brandishing a chunky club. He did actually club the ball with his booming drives, rasping cuts and thundering pulls. The most menacing hitter since Ian Botham, Hayden slammed pacemen and spinners alike. His one weakness was his tendency to play a shot too many in his quest to dominate the bowling, thereby often giving his wicket away.

In their heyday this century, the Australians came to be hailed for their quick scoring. This was mainly courtesy the rousing starts Hayden gave with his partners. In the Tests they would hammer the new ball around and Australia invariably clocked four runs an over. In the shorter version, Hayden and Gilchrist would knock up six to seven runs an over in the first fifteen overs with the field in. That was the foundation for the incredible success Australia achieved during his fruitful days at the top of the order.

Hayden’s moment of euphoria, of course, was when he broke Lara’s Test record, blasting 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth on October 10, 2003. The bowling may have been ordinary, but it was a terrific display of hitting. Hayden struck 38 fours and 11 sixes - 218 in boundaries alone - off just 437 balls in 10 hours and 22 minutes. He took 208 deliveries to reach his hundred, and then just 229 more for the rest of his 280 runs. The Perth wicket was not as fast and bouncy as of yore, and with the ball coming nicely on to the bat, Hayden made merry. India’s former captain S. Venkataraghavan, who was umpiring that match told The Times of India, “He’s just so uninhibited. Nothing seemed to bother him.”

Just over six months later on April 12, 2004 Lara snatched the record back. Hayden bludgeoned his way through to 8625 runs at an average of 50.73 with 30 hundreds in his 103 Tests. In the One-dayers Hayden slammed 6133 runs at an average of 43.80, and a strike-rate of 78.96. An essential part of Ponting’s all-conquering World Cup team, Hayden hit the then fastest century in the competition off 66 balls against South Africa at St. Kitts in 2007. He also had the highest aggregate in that tournament with 659 runs at an average of 73.22 with three hundreds in 11 matches. One of the hardest hitting opening batsmen in history, Hayden’s contribution to Australian cricket has been matched by few.

These have been some of the very best batsmen down history. Others like Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Virender Sehwag will surely find their way in history. It is remarkable how the name Bradman keeps cropping up while discussing most of them. This is indicative of the standards Bradman set, and against which most batsmen are rated. Some of the top-class batsmen of the modern era like, to name a few, Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq, who rendered yeomen service to Pakistan in contrasting styles, but did not quite stir the senses consistently; and Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis and Mohammad Yousuf, technically sound and prolific scorers, but rarely dominant; have not been discussed at length in these pages. In terms of figures they have been close to the top, but inspirational they have seldom been. Indeed Kallis has an allround Test record that has now surpassed the multi-faceted Sobers, and at similar averages! But it would be hard to place Kallis in the same league as Sobers. The very great players have an aura quite distinct.

Statistically, nobody has been able to remotely challenge Bradman and, in a paradox to the Sobers-Kallis reasoning, it is difficult to anoint another batsman as being greater than The Don. Bradman was indeed unique, matchless - to put it in corporate parlance - in terms of output, quality, productivity and profitability, a winner and a leader by a long, long way.

(Statistics in Don’s Century are updated till 27th August 2011, the 103rd birth anniversary of Sir Donald Bradman).

Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com.

Follow Indra Vikram Singh on Twitter @IVRajpipla.

Indra Vikram Singh’s latest books 

published by Sporting Links:

A Maharaja’s Turf   ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket   ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Don’s Century   ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Crowning Glory   ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

Available online on several websites.

Distributed in India by :  

Variety Book Depot 

AVG Bhawan, 

M-3, Middle Circle, Connaught Circus,

New Delhi-110 001, India. 
Tel. + 91 11 23417175, 23412567.

Excerpts from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'Don's Century' ..... 29 - Chapter 7 : PEERLESS RUNGETTER AND OTHER MASTERS OF THE WILLOW (34. Ricky Ponting)

A batsman who occupied the no. 1 slot for several years is Ricky Ponting. For long the Australians said he was as good as Tendulkar, but this was often dismissed as hype bordering on jingoism. In his early days he seemed to be a brash young man, the naughty boy of the team. He also lived in the shadow of the Waugh twins. The mischievous look remains, but as he matured - which coincided with being handed the captaincy - Ponting quickly scaled the peak. In 2003 he hit up 1503 runs in 11 Tests at 100.20 per innings. In 2005 he amassed 1544 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 67.13, the sole batsman to notch up 1500 runs in a calendar year twice.

Not surprisingly for an Australian, Ponting is the one of the top batsmen against pace. Forever looking to get on to the front foot with an exaggerated pick up of the bat, he is quick to rock back and pull or hook. He has not always been happy against spin. Steve Waugh’s famous ‘final frontier’ series of 2000-01 in India was miserable for Ponting. Young off-spinner Harbhajan Singh mesmerised him, claiming his wicket in all five innings for 0,6,0,0,11.

In the 2007-08 series in Australia, Harbhajan once more troubled Ponting, dismissing him cheaply in the first Test at Melbourne, and then again in the first innings at Sydney. One got the impression that the Australians pressed charges against Harbhajan because they wanted to shift his focus away from the game. Whatever the truth, Harbhajan did not bother Ponting again in the series.

Despite this, there can be no denying that Ponting has been among the best batsmen in the world for many years. Having become the seventh to reach 10,000 Test runs - now stationed at 12,363 - with an average of 53.51 and 39 hundreds, Ponting would be vying with the likes of Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis to pass Lara’s record aggregate and set new benchmarks.       

In One-day Internationals Ponting has logged 13,602 runs, more than 4500 runs behind Tendulkar, with an average of 42.77, strike-rate of 80.59 and 30 centuries. His moment of glory in One-dayers came in the final of the 2003 World Cup at Johannesburg when he virtually finished the match even before India batted. His unbeaten 140 with a record 8 sixes ensured that the ICC World Cup stayed with Australia.

Ponting’s captaincy record in the World Cup is magical. His team won 22 matches in a row - 11 each in 2003 and 2007 - a feat that is unlikely to be matched and went another five matches in 2011 without defeat. Just as Steve Waugh’s side had a hiccup in India in 2000-01, Ponting’s outfit lost the Ashes in 2005. That was the first time Australia lost the Ashes since 1986-87, after winning an unprecedented eight successive series against the Old Enemy. Ponting’s team then bounced back at home, reclaiming the Ashes in style by 5-0 in 2006-07. His side also equalled the feat of Steve Waugh’s men by winning 16 Tests in a row in that acrimonious game at Sydney in 2007-08, full of umpiring howlers.

Of late the sheen has worn off a bit in Ponting’s career. His form has dipped somewhat, and there were even calls to sack him from the captaincy after that controversial Sydney Test. Peter Roebuck went to the extent of writing that Ponting had turned the Australian team into a “pack of wild dogs.” That might be going a bit too far, but his side lost the One-day triangular finals 2-0 to India. With two successive series losses in the Ashes, and the World Cup crown taken away in 2011, it was inevitable that he would relinquish the captaincy. Ponting can now focus on his batting.

(Statistics in Don’s Century are updated till 27th August 2011, the 103rd birth anniversary of Sir Donald Bradman).

Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com.

Indra Vikram Singh’s latest books 

published by Sporting Links:

A Maharaja’s Turf   ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket   ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Don’s Century   ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Crowning Glory   ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

Available online on several websites.

Distributed in India by :  

Variety Book Depot 

AVG Bhawan, 

M-3, Middle Circle, Connaught Circus,

New Delhi-110 001, India. 

Tel. + 91 11 23417175, 23412567.

Excerpts from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'Don's Century' ..... 28 - Chapter 7 : PEERLESS RUNGETTER AND OTHER MASTERS OF THE WILLOW (33. Brian Lara)

When in the mood, Brian Lara was a genius, no less. Caribbean flair, and not any textbook principles, was the hallmark of his batting. High backlift, braced knees, a hop this way and that in the crease, flashing blade and terrific bat speed, and deft wrist-work on either side of the wicket were characteristics of his inimitable style. When he put his mind to it, he was amongst the very best ever, in the traditional form perhaps next only to Bradman.

As super success embraced him, Lara was quick to assume the airs of a megastar. Petulance, brushes with authority and stormy personal life began to cast a shadow over his career. For a long time it seemed that he might go the way of so many hugely talented sportsmen like George Best who frittered away their God-given gifts and ultimately destroyed themselves.

It is said that the pressure of expectations got the better of Lara. To his credit, he broke free of the stupor and applied his mind to his batting, returning as one of the greatest rungetters the game has seen. The difference between Lara and Tendulkar - hugely talented as both are in their unique ways - was that Tendulkar remained grounded, a dedicated player, committed team man, modest and content in the security of family life. He never allowed the unprecedented adulation to swamp him, nor did the burden of having to perform constantly stifle him. He sailed along, darling of millions, everyone’s very own endearing Sachin. If he had a flaw, as we have already discussed, it was that he would get carried away by his own brilliance and give his wicket away when there were many, many more runs for the taking.

That 277 at Sydney in 1992-93, Lara’s first Test hundred, when the West Indies were desperately defending their status as top dogs, was only advance notice of what was to follow. Lara emulated Bradman by holding the records for the highest scores in Tests as well as first-class cricket. Sir Garfield Sobers walked on to the Antigua Recreation Ground to embrace Lara as the new hero went past his Test record. In that 1993-94 series against England, Lara hit up 798 runs at an average of 99.75.

The world had still not stopped applauding Lara when he astounded everyone by piling up an unbeaten 501 for Warwickshire versus Durham at Birmingham. It was a new frontier - as a famous television series on space odysseys declared - where no man had gone before. In a matter of days he did what no batsman, not Grace nor Bradman, had done in 117 years. The English bowlers must have dreaded the sight of his punishing blade as he carved out 765 runs in the six-Test series on their soil in 1995 at an average of 85.

In between, Lara had not relished the slower wickets of India during the 1994-95 series. Not long after, when the euphoria of having scaled great highs so early in his career wore off, Lara began appearing listless and disinterested. It was akin to the feeling of unease that Bradman experienced in 1932, but Lara’s malaise was more severe. Bradman never allowed his performances to dip, Lara could not defy his slump.

He recovered, to the good fortune of cricket-lovers around the world. The first sign of a turnaround came in 1998-99. That season his stock had slumped to abysmal depths in South Africa as the West Indies were trounced 5-0 in the Test series. Then they were beaten by Australia in the first Test at home. There were shrill voices all around demanding that Lara be stripped of the captaincy. And then he struck. He scored a superb 213 to lead the West Indies to victory over Steve Waugh’s side at Kingston. In the very next Test at Bridgetown he carried his team to an exhilarating one-wicket triumph with a stupendous unbeaten 153. So gripping was the game that the Jamaican prime minister postponed meetings to watch the finale. The West Indies actually led the series 2-1 now, and Lara was again being hailed as a superhero everywhere. This was akin to Bradman’s stirring fightback in 1936-37, but not quite as decisive in the end. The Australians eventually levelled the series, but Lara had once again shown what he was really capable of.

The big turnaround eventually came in 2001-02 in the Emerald Island after a prolonged illness. He began with his 221 off the Sri Lankan bowling at Colombo in that landmark season. In three Tests, Lara scored 668 runs at an average of 114.66 with 3 hundreds. Though he suffered a serious arm injury as a result of a mid-pitch collision, he came back stronger than ever. Since that series, in the last six years till his retirement from Test cricket in 2006-07, he scored an average of a Test double century a year.        

When Sri Lanka made a return visit to the Caribbean islands the next season, Lara slammed 209 at Gros Islet. After he regained the captaincy in 2003, and perhaps consumed by a burning desire to finish his career in a blaze of glory, Lara was unstoppable. He played two big knocks in the 2003-04 season. He first slammed 202 against South Africa at Johannesburg. During the course of that innings he hit the highest number of runs in an over in Test cricket. He smashed Robin Peterson for 4.6.6.4.4.4, a total of 28 runs.

Matthew Hayden had taken away Lara’s Test record that season. The Prince of Trinidad, though, was not ready to be dethroned. And so Hayden had the pleasure, and privilege, of being Test cricket’s top-scorer for only a few months.  Lara returned to the same venue and against the very opponents of a decade earlier and reclaimed his coveted record. Again he went to a territory no Test cricketer had treaded before, reaching 400 before he returned unconquered. He had emulated Bradman by hitting up two scores of 300-plus in Test cricket. India’s Virender Sehwag joined the club at Chennai in 2007-08. But while Bradman was never able to reset the Test record, Lara, incredibly, got it back. That there was a gap of a decade between the two high watermarks, makes his achievements even more laudable.

PROGRESSION OF RECORD INDIVIDUAL SCORES 
IN TEST CRICKET

165*   Charles Bannerman   Aus v Eng   1876-77

211     Bill Murdoch              Aus v Eng   1884    

287     Reginald Foster          Eng v Aus   1903-04

325     Andy Sandham         Eng v WI     1929-30

334     Don Bradman            Aus v Eng   1930

336*   Wally Hammond       Eng v NZ     1932-33

364     Len Hutton                Eng v Aus    1938

365*   Gary Sobers                WI v Pak     1957-58

375     Brian Lara                 WI v Eng      1993-94

380     Matthew Hayden     Aus v Zim    2003-04

400*   Brian Lara                 WI v Eng      2003-04

           

Then in Adelaide in 2005-06, as if to rub it into the Aussies, Lara overtook Allan Border’s record Test aggregate, celebrating his achievement by bringing up another double century, hitting up 226. In a final hurrah, Lara crashed 216 against Pakistan at Multan in 2006-07, his last season. He blazed to what was the tenth-quickest hundred in Test cricket, off a mere 77 deliveries, blasting 26 runs - 4.0.6.6.6.4 - off a Danish Kaneria over. Lara has nine scores of 200 or more in Test cricket, second only to Bradman, who had twelve.

He walked away from the Test arena with 11,953 runs in his kitty at an average of 52.88 with 34 centuries in 131 matches. He did many things that Bradman did not manage - the Test record twice, 500 in first-class cricket, 400 in a Test innings, and the highest aggregate. Was Lara better than Tendulkar? This depends on which aspects of the game you cherish more. For nonchalantly churning out huge scores, Lara was in the top bracket; for performing steadily and mastering all types of bowling and conditions in both forms of the game, Tendulkar has few peers.          

PROGRESSION OF RECORD AGGREGATES 
IN TEST CRICKET (above 1000 runs)

                                    Runs   Tests    HS      Ave     100s   Year

A. Shrewsbury (E)     1,277     23     164     35.47      3      1893

C. Hill (A)                   3,412     49    191     39.21       7     1912

J.B. Hobbs (E)             5,410     61    211     56.94     15     1930

W.R. Hammond (E)   7,249     85    336*   58.45     22     1947

M.C. Cowdrey (E)     7,624   114    182     44.06     22   1971-75

G.S. Sobers (WI)         8,032     93    365*    57.78     26     1974

G. Boycott (E)             8,114   108    246*    47.72     22     1982

S.M. Gavaskar (I)     10,122   125    236*    51.12     34     1987

A.R. Border (A)        11,174   156    205     50.56     27     1994

B.C. Lara (WI)          11,953   131    400*    52.88     34     2006

S.R. Tendulkar (I)     14,965   181    248*    56.25    51     2011

Lara joined Tendulkar as the only batsmen then to score 10,000 runs in Tests as well as One-day Internationals. Dravid, Ponting and Jacques Kallis joined the club later. In 299 One-dayers Lara accumulated 10,405 runs at an average of 40.48 and strike-rate of 79.51, with 19 hundreds. In the World Cup he scored two brilliant match-winning hundreds against South Africa, in the 1996 quarter-final, and the opening encounter in 2003. He has the third-highest aggregate of 1225 runs in the showpiece event - behind Tendulkar and Ponting - at an average of 42.24 and strike-rate of 86.26. The fastest fifty of the competition stood to his name, off 23 balls against Canada at Centurion in 2003, until bettered in 2007.

For all his dazzling strokeplay, one often did not hear the thump of the ball against Lara’s bat. That was the result of his inimitable wristwork. He would guide the ball to untenanted areas of the field all round the wicket. What was utterly fascinating was that he did this on the rise to the slow bowlers as well, allowing the ball to turn, and then flicking it wherever he fancied. To work away a quick bowler is easy. To have done it to a spinner - and on the rise - is what made Lara extraordinary.

(Statistics in Don’s Century are updated till 27^th August 2011, the 103^rd birth anniversary of Sir Donald Bradman).

Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com.

Indra Vikram Singh’s latest books 
published by Sporting Links:

A Maharaja’s Turf   ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket   ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Don’s Century   ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Crowning Glory   ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

Distributed in India by :  

Variety Book Depot 

AVG Bhawan, 

M-3, Middle Circle, Connaught Circus,

New Delhi-110 001, India. 

Tel. + 91 11 23417175, 23412567.

Excerpts from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'Don's Century' ..... 27 - Chapter 7 : PEERLESS RUNGETTER AND OTHER MASTERS OF THE WILLOW (32. Sachin Tendulkar)

With the spread of the One-day game, wickets got flatter and conducive for batting. Moreover, with the covering of the wickets from the late seventies onwards, the ‘sticky dog’ was put in the kennel, leaving batsmen more secure. Better protective gear, including more refined helmets with grills, gave greater confidence to batsmen. More and more batsmen began scoring freely in the last decade of the 20^th century and the first decade of the present one, and like the 1920s and 1930s, averages in the 50s are not a rarity. This is not a reference to any particular batsman, or batsmen, but a general observation, for there are several top-class batsmen on the scene today.

Of these, Sachin Tendulkar has been around the longest, and is perhaps the most debated since Bradman. The Don himself in that famous interview to Sydney’s Channel Nine television network in May 1996, paid Tendulkar the ultimate accolade as he said, “I asked my wife to come and have a look at him because I said, I never saw myself play, but I feel this fellow is playing very much the same as I used to. She had a look at him on television and she said yes there is a similarity between the two.” In the same programme, the then Australian captain Mark Taylor observed that Tendulkar was “probably the closest at the moment to the perfect player. Beautiful straight bat, takes his time if he has to, can be explosive if he needs to be, a very good all round player.”

A child prodigy, Tendulkar scored hundreds on debut in all three of India’s first-class competitions, at fifteen years of age, in the Ranji Trophy for Bombay versus Gujarat at Mumbai in 1988-89; in the Irani Trophy for Rest of India pitted opposite Delhi at Mumbai in 1989-90; and in the Duleep Trophy for West Zone against East Zone at Guwahati in 1990-91. At 16 years 201 days, he became the youngest Indian to make his Test debut, against Pakistan at Karachi in 1989-90, and at 17 years and 212 days, the youngest Indian to score a Test century, against England at Manchester in 1990. By 1991-92, during the arduous tour of Australia, Tendulkar became India’s best Test batsman at 18 years. In 1993-94 he secured his position as the country’s no. 1 in the One-dayers as well when, asked to open, he was explosive in the series in New Zealand, and continued in the same vein thereafter. Soon he was rated the best in the world along with Brian Lara. That was all by the time he was 21.

During the first stage of his career, till the winter of 2000-01, Tendulkar wanted to dominate the bowlers. He wished to show that he was the boss. Fast bowlers did not worry him, and the spinners did not tie him down. He would blast the bad balls, and often the good, driving on the rise through the gaps, cutting ferociously when the ball was not even discernibly short or wide, pulling contemptuously off the front foot. Anything on his pads, or hips, would be whipped to the fence. He would not allow the bowler to get on top even if he had to slog-sweep a great leg-spinner like Shane Warne.

All the while Tendulkar showed the straightest of bats to anything pitched up and on the stumps, which has been evident right through his career, in his driving - along the ground and in the air - between mid-off and mid-on. He was sure where his off-stump was, and would show perfect judgement in easily leaving those enticing and sinister deliveries leaving him sharply. Neither did the short-pitched ball bother him as he swayed away with ease, and well clear. He expressed himself with abandon, allowing his instincts to dictate his actions.         

That Tendulkar was oozing with talent, and eager to show it off, was never in doubt. What he lacked was Bradman’s ruthlessness. Having blown apart the bowling to smithereens, he seemed to get bored with the lack of challenge, lose focus as well as his wicket with the opposition on their knees. The joke was that Tendulkar had a huge weakness in the 170s. He had six scores between 165 and 179 (three 177s), besides his other hundreds, before he got his first Test double century, against New Zealand at Ahmedabad in 1999-2000, a decade after his debut.

Brian Lara, on the other hand, made his Test debut in 1990-91, hit up a brilliant 277 against Australia at Sydney in 1992-93, and the record 375 against England at St. John’s in 1993-94. A few weeks later he took away the first-class record by becoming the only batsman to score 500. Astonishingly, a decade after his Test high, Lara wrested back the Test record against the same opposition at the very venue, with an unprecedented 400 not out, just months after Matthew Hayden had grabbed it. Tendulkar is yet to score 250 either in Tests or at the first-class level.

But then that is Tendulkar; he cannot be Lara, and vice versa. By 2001 Tendulkar was so good that opposing teams felt it was not possible to dismiss him before he got a big score, by bowling at him. His Test average at that stage was close to 60. It was reckoned that the way to ensnare him was to bowl wide of the off-stump. Frustrated at having to repeatedly let the ball go, he would reach out and cut, hopefully in the air into the hands of fielders at point or gully. If that did not work, then he should be thwarted by bowling down the leg-side.

That is what the canny England captain Nasser Hussain did during the 2001-02 series, with limited success. In one Test he instructed his fast bowlers to pitch way outside off to Tendulkar. In the next he got his left-arm spinner Ashley Giles to keep landing the ball outside leg. But by then Tendulkar himself had changed. Perhaps stung by criticism that he was incapable of playing big and defining innings, he decided to play the Gavaskar way, watchful and cutting out the risky shots.

It had been pointed out that at Bridgetown in 1996-97, when Tendulkar was captain, he was unable to guide India to a target of only 110 in the fourth innings, the team folding up for 81. Then in the Chennai Test against Pakistan in 1999-2000, he was in command, chasing a target of 271. He had put on a stirring 136 for the sixth wicket with Nayan Mongia. But just when it seemed that Tendulkar would pull off a dramatic win, he fell for 136. India lost by 12 runs. It might smack of ingratitude, or even naivety, but had the likes of Bradman, Steve Waugh or even Rahul Dravid been in his place, they might have carried their team to victory in that game.

To be fair to Tendulkar, the Bridgetown wicket had worn off completely and the tall West Indies fast bowlers exploited it to the hilt. And in Chennai, it was a lone battle with a bit of help from Mongia. It was also the first time that he was hit by injury, his back giving way during the later stages of his innings.

Whatever view one might take, Tendulkar was stung. He yearned to play the really big innings that his friend and rival Lara churned out so effortlessly. He also wished to correct the impression that he had not played enough match-winning innings for India, at least in the Tests. More likely as a result of the back trouble, his belligerent pull shot off the front foot was gone forever. He now adopted a more cautious approach.

The first symptom of that was when he was uncharacteristically strokeless against ordinary trundlers like Zimbabwean Raymond Price and West Indian Mahendra Nagamootoo during that 2001-02 season. Physically also he seemed to have slowed down a bit, for during the tour of the West Indies he was dismissed for a succession of low scores, the ball often finding the outside edge of his bat. A succession of injuries dogged him and Tendulkar searched for a reincarnation. Things came to such a pass that in the Sydney Test of the 2003-04 series, Tendulkar did not play a single shot on the off-side - and still scored an unbeaten 241 with 33 boundaries. That, however, is also the genius of Tendulkar, carving out such a big score at a time when his technique needed to go back to the drawing board urgently.

In One-day cricket Tendulkar is, along with Vivian Richards, arguably the greatest there has ever been. He has slammed the best bowlers around the world, scoring by far the highest number of runs - 18,111 - 48 hundreds at last count and the only double century, averaging 45.16 at a strike-rate of 86.32, for an astonishing 62 man-of-the-match prizes. In two World Cups - 1996 and 2003 - he was top rungetter, and is way ahead of the others in terms of overall aggregate in the premier event, with an unmatched nine man-of-the-match awards, crowning it all with the 2011 World Cup. Just as Gavaskar created new statistical benchmarks in Test matches in the period 1983-87, so is Tendulkar doing in One-day Internationals now.

Since the summer of 2007, Tendulkar has been in wonderful touch, having found the perfect blend of attack and defence for this stage of his career. He is now a mature, complete master, tailoring his game to the conditions and the needs of his team. He took on the responsibility of blunting the swing and seam in England, attacking Australian pacemen on their bouncy tracks, and in between was his sublime self at home, finally exorcising the ghost of Chennai 1999 with his impregnable match-winning fifth-day hundred off the English attack at that venue in 2008.

Tendulkar has constantly re-invented himself in view of these factors, and in order to stay ahead of the opposition. He keeps reappearing in new avtaars to confound the critics. He still has the tendency, though, of getting a bit ahead of himself, at times playing pre-determined shots. That is why we have seen a profusion of dismissals in the nineties in the last few years. Bradman and Lara would never allow themselves to be denied a hundred, let alone bigger landmarks.    

If Tendulkar takes his mind off the scoreboard, and focuses solely on the ball, he is still capable of playing a few of those really big innings that his legion of fans is waiting for, and which he so terribly yearns for himself. That is perhaps the only accomplishment left for the little champion to achieve. By surpassing Brian Lara’s record Test aggregate and poised to overhaul the milestone of 15,000 runs, Tendulkar is now easily the most prolific batsman in both forms of the game. With an unprecedented 51 hundreds and an average of 56.25, Tendulkar continues to justify Bradman’s faith in him. After all, he is the only middle-order batsman The Don chose, apart from himself, in his dream XI to bat at no. 4. Next in the batting order is the allrounder Sobers. Ultimately, that is what must sum up Tendulkar. If he was good enough for Bradman, he should be good enough for anyone.

(Sachin Tendulkar’s statistics in 'Don’s Century’ are updated till 27^th August 2011, the 103^rd birth anniversary of Sir Donald Bradman. This excerpt, co-incidentally, is being posted on The Don’s 105^th birth anniversary).

Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com.

Indra Vikram Singh’s latest books published by Sporting Links :

A Maharaja’s Turf  ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket  ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Don’s Century  ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Crowning Glory  ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

Distributed in India by :  

Variety Book Depot 

AVG Bhawan, 

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Tel. + 91 11 23417175, 23412567.

Rolls-Royce cars of the Rajpipla royal family of India

(Governor of Bombay Presidency Sir Frederick Sykes and Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla in Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1921 (chassis 32 UG) RAJPIPLA No. 1, at Rajpipla in December 1929. They are followed by two other Rajpipla cars, Rolls-Royce 1922 20 hp (chassis 40 GI) RAJPIPLA No. 25, and Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1913 (chassis 16 CA) RAJPIPLA No. 3).

The Rajpipla royal family owned a fleet of cars of all top makes in the first half of the 20^th century. Maharana Sir Chhatrasinhji of Rajpipla was a pioneer, being the first to import an Armstrong-Siddeley into India. Among his several cars were a Wolseley, and Clement Bayard, the factory of which was taken over during the First World War to manufacture military vehicles and later purchased by Citroen.

His son Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla, apart from being a lover of horses and a famous racehorse owner, was a car enthusiast who owned all the top brands like Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler, Riley, Jaguar, Ford and Buick among others, bought eleven Rolls-Royce cars which were driven in Rajpipla, Bombay and the UK, where he had an estate at Old Windsor.

The Maharaja’s collection of Rolls-Royce cars comprised :

1.    Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1913, 40/50 hp (chassis no. 16 CA). Barker torpedo phaeton tourer coachwork, as depicted on page 37 of the Barker sales catalogue. Purchased second-hand from an owner in Calcutta. British registration R-1956.

2.    Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1921, 40/50 hp (chassis no. 32 UG), Hooper tourer coachwork (design no. 5498). Registered in Rajpipla State as Rajpipla No. 1.

3.    Rolls-Royce 20 hp model 1922, (chassis no. 40 G1 engine. no. 101) with Windovers three-quarter landaulette coachwork fitted and finished in claret with black wings. Registration Rajpipla No.25. The first production 20 hp of 1922.

4.    Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1924, (chassis no. 103 EU, engine no. U 195), Maythorn tourer coachwork. On test 15.12.1924, sold when new to J.A.Venn in Cambridge, then to the Maharaja of Rajpipla in February 1933.

(Rajpipla Rolls-Royce Phantom I 1927, chassis no. 55 EF at Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji’s estate ‘The Manor’ on the banks of the River Thames in Old Windsor, England).

 5.    Rolls-Royce Phantom I 1927, (chassis no. 55 EF) Elkington Carriage Co. cabriolet de ville coachwork, registration number YF-8389. It was painted royal blue and black, and trimmed in gold figured damask, the steering wheel being ordered in ivory white, quite a common feature with cars supplied to the Indian market. Delivered to the Maharaja at the Savoy Hotel in London. The car was sold in May 1929 via Messrs. Windovers.

(Rolls-Royce Phantom I 1929 (chassis no. 27 WR) of Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla discovered in a garage in the UK. It was shipped from India in the 1950s, and was dry stored there since 1975. The top of the Windovers Brougham body was cut and converted into a tourer, the PI engine was replaced by a 4 litre Rolls-Royce engine. Sold on e-bay in 2012).

6.    Rolls-Royce Phantom I January 1929, (chassis no. 27 WR) Windovers Brougham limousine coachwork (design no. 5583).

7.    Rolls-Royce Phantom II 1930, (chassis no. 154 XJ) Windovers enclosed limousine coachwork (commission no. J7940, design no. 5690).

(Indra Vikram Singh at Udaipur on 25th January 2014 with Rolls-Royce Phantom II 1934, chassis no. 181 RY, earlier owned by his grandfather Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla).

8.    Rolls-Royce Phantom II 1934, (chassis no. 181 RY, engine no. TT 65), Windovers Sedanca de ville (design no. 6168). It is mentioned in the book "The History of Windovers" (though the caption says chassis no. 181R4). Now in the Mewar royal cars collection. 

9.    Rolls-Royce 20/25 hp 1934, (chassis no. GMD 73) Windovers tourer coachwork (design no. 61920). This car was specified to have louvres to the bonnet and continuing to the dash (bulkhead) sloping at 11 degrees. Car last known to be in Ludhiana, Punjab.

(Rolls-Royce Phantom II 1935, chassis no. 171 TA, earlier owned by Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla at his estate ‘The Manor’ in Old Windsor, England).

10.  Rolls-Royce Phantom II 1935, (chassis no. 171 TA) Windovers saloon with division coachwork (design no. 6277). This car soon passed to the Rt. Hon. Lady Scarsdale in November 1935. 

(Rolls-Royce 20-25 hp 1936, chassis no. GBK 42, ordered by the Maharaja of Rajpipla, but sold without taking delivery).

11.  Rolls-Royce 20/25 1936, (chassis no. GBK 42). Engine No. J 28 R. Windovers Sedanca de Ville coachwork (design no. 6341). Registration No. CFX 325. Cream and brown with black leather and fawn cloth interior. Ordered but cancelled in May 1936 because just as this car was ready, the magnificent Rolls-Royce Phantom III was launched. So the Maharaja asked for the 20-25 hp to be sold, and instead ordered the Phantom III 1937 3BU 198. The 20-25 hp was bought by Mr. R.J. Mackenzie in Elgin, Scotland. This car still survives having been restored by the Holton family in Northamptonshire.

(Rolls-Royce Phantom III 1937, chassis no. 3BU 198, of Maharaja Shri Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla).

12.  Rolls-Royce Phantom III 1937, (chassis no. 3BU 198). Windovers Sedanca de Ville coachwork (body no. 56), specified with a radio and ‘Philco Rola’ loud speakers and Marchal headlamps.

I may place on record that a lot of this information is courtesy Mr. John Fasal, who has been researching Rolls-Royce cars for many decades. His book on Rolls-Royce cars of the Indian princes is due to be published shortly. There is also a chapter by him on the Rajpipla Rolls-Royce cars in the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club UK Yearbook 2014.

Many of the Rajpipla Rolls-Royce cars are still in existence around the world.

(Indra Vikram Singh, erstwhile Prince of Rajpipla and grandson of Maharaja Vijaysinhji, can be contacted on email teddy.rajpipla@gmail.com).

Excerpts from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'Don's Century' ..... 26 - Chapter 7 : PEERLESS RUNGETTER AND OTHER MASTERS OF THE WILLOW (31. Aravinda de Silva)

Sri Lanka’s Aravinda de Silva, on the other hand, was a gifted batsman. During the early stages of his career he would play brilliant cameos before throwing his wicket away through poor shot selection. For this he was called ‘Mad Max’. Gradually he learnt to temper himself and matured into one of the most exciting strokeplayers of modern times. In many ways, one felt, he was a more aggressive version of Gavaskar.

In fact the Indian maestro was initially an attacking player, with a penchant for the hook shot. But after the first flush of his memorable maiden series, when success became harder to come by, Gavaskar developed into an accumulator of runs, rather than a destroyer of bowling. De Silva retained the sparkle, though it has to be said that he was a middle-order batsman who could indulge in strokeplay with greater freedom than Gavaskar whose primary task was to see off the new ball and take away the sting from those menacing pacemen. Gavaskar and de Silva were of similar stature, maybe the latter was even a wee bit shorter, both compact and well balanced and similarly correct in strokeplay.

De Silva would drive in glorious fashion through the covers, or cut off the back foot, and was quick to hook or pull the short ones. When he got into the groove he was liable to pull off a string of big scores. His highest Test score of 267 came against New Zealand in 1990-91, the same match in which Martin Crowe registered his personal best of 299. De Silva scored centuries in each innings of a Test twice, against Pakistan at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo in 1996-97, when he was unbeaten in both innings, and against India on the same ground the next season.

His most prolific year was 1997 when he amassed 1220 runs at an average of 76.25 with 7 hundreds, the most since Vivian Richards got as many 21 years earlier. In his 93 Tests, de Silva logged up 6361 runs at an average of 42.97 with 20 centuries.

The 1996 World Cup was memorable for de Silva’s superb strokeplay. His 91 against Zimbabwe was followed by 145 versus Kenya, the highest for Sri Lanka in a One-dayer. In the semi-final he hit 66 of the 85 runs scored while he was in, against India. In the final he brought up victory with his unbeaten 107. That was in addition to his stint of three for 42 with the ball. He was man-of-the-match in the semifinal as well as final. If the player-of-the-tournament award had not been decided before the semi-finals, it would surely have gone to de Silva. In the latter half of the nineties, de Silva was doubtlessly one of the three best batsmen in the world, the others being Tendulkar and Lara. There is nothing more to be said.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Indra Vikram Singh’s latest books 

published by Sporting Links:

A Maharaja’s Turf   ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket   ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Don’s Century   ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Crowning Glory   ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

Available online on several websites.

Distributed in India by :  

Variety Book Depot 

AVG Bhawan, 

M-3, Middle Circle, Connaught Circus,

New Delhi-110 001, India. 

Tel. + 91 11 23417175, 23412567.