This story is twenty seven years old but is
still fresh in my memory. The CMS college was taking on the formidable St Albert’s
college in the the M G University
cricket finals for the P M Raghavan trophy on the 10th of December,
1995. CMS batted first and ended their innings for 153. The rival captain might
have contemptuously smiled at this paltry total, the way the mighty Lloyd would
have at that 183 that was to script history on the 25th June, 1983.
He had every right to smile as he was captaining a side comprising four Renji
players.
The big home crowd that had assembled on the
“eastern bank” of the ground were dejected as they were sure of the outcome and
the disgrace awaiting their team on their home turf. I along with some cricket
loving teachers were there on the “eastern bank”. When the St Albert’s opener
took stance, we too were depressed and silent, poignantly awaiting what seemed
to be just the completion of a formality. But as the game progressed, it was
not as bad for CMS as was expected. But a stage was reached with St Albert’s
needing just 24 runs in 4 overs with 4 wickets remaining, to lift the trophy.
In normal case a match at such a stage is rightly qualified as a cliff hanger. But
with a strong batting line up that extended up to the tail-end that was an
easily attainable target for St Albert’s.
The CMS captain Jiby gave the ball to Biji G
Nair. A hapless, diffident looking Biji turned back and looked at the teachers.
If I remember correctly, Prof P M Jacob of the Mathematics department shouted
“poyi kutti parikkada”. I was dangerously tensed and I could feel my blood
pressure soaring. I decided that I shall leave the place as it was too much for
me to bear. I went away and sat on the veranda of the Great Hall. I sat there
with an unbearable sense of loss. I felt insulated from the rest of the world and
fell into a state of meditation. Some twenty minutes might have elapsed. I was
awakened to reality by a wild roar of a crowd in frenzy and a thunderous
applause that reverberated in the beautiful, otherwise sedate campus. The
Casuarina trees were dancing in the wind and singing. Something unbelievable
happened? I ran to the place I had fled a little while ago. I could see Prof P
M Jacob (quite some years senior to me) dancing like a young boy and on seeing
me shouted “Raja we have won, we have won, maaan we have
won.”
Yes, CMS beat St Albert’s. I had to believe it
as I could see the CMS crowd dancing and embracing each other on the little
turf on the “eastern bank”. But why Biji is lifted by his team mates and
dancing? I wondered. I could not ask anyone as everyone there was on cloud 9.
Once the frenzied celebrations settled down I approached Prof P M Jacob and he
gave me a vivid detail of the stranger than fiction happenings there.
With four overs remaining, Biji was given the
ball and that was when I fled.He gave
away some runs in the first three balls and with the next three balls three St
Alembertians were packed off to the pavilion ! After the next over Biji came
back and with his first ball felled the last of the St Alembertians. The
ease with which he picked the last wicket looked as if he did what was his
wont. Yes, Biji did it for CMS.
But for Bij’s magical performance, Unni’s
wonderful knock of 64 or Anil’s 2/20,all would have
gone in vain.
Now a word about Biji’s bowling action. A medium
pacer, he had a notso good looking, deceptive
bowling action. When he delivered the ball with his right hand, instead of his
left leg going back it was his right leg that did so. And all this time his
left hand remained motionless. So, no wonder. They might have played Renji
matches, but might not have seen one like Biji, bowling on the wrong foot.
I remember many students who played for CMS like
Unni, Madhu, Balaji, Sooraj, Dileep, Antony and many more.Let me close this note with two names I
always remember. Motti the dashing right handed batsman whowas a good left arm spinner too. Then Koruth,
the lanky leg spinner who reminded one of Ravi Sasthri of his heydays.
