Cricinfo - India win a close contest

In this, the second part of the series of articles being run by CricInfo as part of the build up to the ensuing India-Australia Tests, the author looks back on the visit of the Australian Services team which visited India in 1945-46 to play three unofficial `Tests'.

With the end of World War II following Japan's surrender, fans of the game in the country longed to see some international cricket. The last visit by a foreign side had been made by Lord Tennyson's team in 1937-38. And while there was little chance of having an official Test series in India so soon after hostilities had ceased, news that an Australian Services team would visit the country for the 1945-46 season was widely welcomed.

The team, led by well known Australian batsman Lindsay Hassett, had done well in drawing a series of five `Victory Tests' against an England team of near Test strength so there was never any doubt that they would test India to the full. The team was made up of Australians who had served in various wings in the war. Hassett was of course a pre-war stalwart, having toured England under Don Bradman in 1938. But the rest of the team members were generally young and talented cricketers. Some of them like Jack Pettiford, Dick Whitington, Keith Carmody and Cecil Pepper acheived various degrees of success. But easily the most dynamic of the team members was Keith Ross Miller who played his first Test later that season and went on to become the leading all rounder of his time. It was during the tour of India that he first displayed his manifold skills which would rank him as one of the great players of all time.

The series could not have come for a better time for the Indians. Not only were they starved of international cricket, but the contests came in handy to try and form the nucleus of the side that was to tour England in 1946. Some of the pre-war players like CK Nayudu, Md Nissar, Wazir Ali, Nazir Ali and LP Jai, besides Amar Singh who had passed away, were unavailable. But the replacements were good enough and thanks to the presence of Vijay Merchant, Syed Mushtaq Ali, Lala Amarnath, Vijay Hazare, Vinoo Mankad, Rusi Modi, Gul Mohammed, CS Nayudu, Shute Banerjee, AH Kardar and CT Sarwate, the home team were able to field a side capable of giving the visitors a run for their money.

But it was the Australian team which took the initiative by running up a big total in the first `Test' at Bombay. Opting to bat first in batsman friendly conditions, the Australian team scored 531 thanks in the main to centuries from Carmody (113) and Pettiford (124). Pepper was unlucky not to become the third centurion when he was caught by Mankad off Hazare at 95. The Indian bowling was seen in poor light and Hazare and Nayudu were pretty expensive even as they were rewarded with five and three wickets respectively.

Established stars Amarnath (64) and Hazare (75) were the main run getters in India's reply which did not get beyond 339. Following on, they did not fare any better, being dismissed for 304. Merchant, the captain top scored with 69 while Amarnath got 50 and Gul Mahommed 48. This left the Australians just 20 minutes on the fourth and final day to get 113 runs for victory. Hassett took Miller with him to open the innings, a clear indication that they were going after their improbable target. But Merchant placed eight men round the fence and the attempt to get the runs had to be abandoned.

The second `Test' at Calcutta was another high scoring game. Put in to bat, India were all out for 386. Mankad, opening the innings, top scored with 78 and there were valuable contributions from Hazare (65) and Modi (75). The Australians did one better, replying with 472. Again there were two centurions - Whittington (155) and Pettiford (101) - while Miller chimed in with 82. In the second innings, India lost three wickets before they wiped off the deficit of 86 but were never really in danger. First, Merchant and Amarnath (48) added 77 runs for the fourth wicket and then Merchant and Kardar put on 189 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket. While Merchant, striking form, remained unbeaten with 155, the left handed Kardar was unconquered on 86. Ultimately India declared at 350 for four and this match too was drawn.

So everything now hinged on the final `Test' at Madras. This time, Hassett led the way with 143, sharing a 181-run partnership with Pepper (87) for the fifth wicket. Banerjee (4 for 86) and Sarwate (4 for 94) did their bit in curbing the Australians. The Indians, by replying with 525, took a firm grip on the game. Amarnath led off with 113 and then Modi lived up to his reputation as bright new batting star by getting an elegant 203. With Gul Mahommed (55) and Nayudu (64) chipping in with useful contributions - both were associated in century partnerships with Modi for the sixth and eighth wickets respectively - the Indians could now apply the pressure on the visitors. And with Banerjee (4 for 82) and Sarwate (4 for 118) again doing well, the Australian team were all out for 275 in the second innings, despite a 133-run opening partnership between Carmody (92) and Whittington (67). The required target of 90 provided no real problems for the Indians who won by six wickets to take the rubber. It was just the shot in the arm that Indian cricket needed as they prepared to tour England.

India win a close contest