Origin and Growth of Cricketing Culture in Colonial Madras
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JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF CRICKETING CULTURE IN COLONIAL MADRAS Dr.R.XAVIER Assistant professr DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, LOYOLA COLLEGE,CHENNAI-34 ABSTRACT The paper sheds light on the Phenomenon that shook the way people identified India globally. The Phenomenon discussed here is none other than the game of Cricket and its humble origins in the all embracing city of Madras. The paper reviews the role played by the Europeans in shaping the cricketing culture of the city and transforming it into a hub of cricketing activity in South India. The paper also tries to transcend the various phases in the development of the game albeit the able stewardship of the Madras Cricket Club and the Madras Cricket Association in the era prior to the country’s Independence. Overall it serves as an eye-opener for the cricket enthusiasts of Madras who take immense pride in following the gentleman’s game to know where it all began in the city they have always cherished being part of. 1 Volume VI, Issue I, January/2019 Page No:2215 JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 INTRODUCTION The city of Madras was found in the year 1639 A.D. On the 1 st of March, the following year, Francis Day, representing the English East India Company obtained permission to establish a commercial centre in Madras. The name of this coastal town metamorphosed from Sri Rangarajapatnam to Chennapatnam and finally to Madras. 1 The British moved into Madras by 1639 A.D. and by the 17 th and 18 th century, the Island to the south of Fort.St.George and Guindy Moade, the area between Guindy Forest and St.Thomas Mount, were where they went a Hauking, Riding, Racing or played Polo. It was in the early 19 th Century that games like Cricket, Hockey and Rugby put down roots in the bigger towns and cities and Tennis, Squash, Badminton, Bridge and Billiards were played in all stations. It is worthy to note that all these activities were closely linked with the clubs. 2 Chepauk is undoubtedly the nursery of Madras Cricket. The Chepauk was occupied by the Nawab of Carnatic. In 1767, Nawab Muhammad Ali acquired settlements in Chepauk and added to them vacant spots of sandy ground on the North and the East. On these spots sprang up the Chepauk Palace with artistic elegance in 1768. 3 Till 1855, the game of Cricket in Madras was played in the Island Grounds. In the year 1855, the Madras Government abolished the title of the Nawab of Arcot on the death of the last titular Nawab, Ghulam Muhammad Ghaus. After that the Nawab’s military forces were disbanded and all the buildings and land occupied by him in Chepauk were sold by public auction and acquired by the government in 1859. The lands to the west of the palace were allotted as playing fields. 4 2 Volume VI, Issue I, January/2019 Page No:2216 JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 The first representative match played at Chepauk dates back to January 6 th and 7th , 1864. The participants in the Match were the Madras Cricket Club and a Calcutta XI. 5 Cricket during the years 1876-1877 in Chepauk was hampered due to the construction of the Buckingham Canal. During 1876 – 78, the Madras Presidency was struck deeply by the vagaries of a great Famine. The Government dug the Buckingham canal through the Chepauk grounds as part of the relief operations, undertaken in connection with the Famine. The Canal extended for about 261 miles along the east coast of the Presidency from Pedaganjam to Marakanam. 6 In fact the Canal used to be quite a pleasant and useful water way back then. Therefore Cricket went back to the Island Grounds. In 1880, the club once more found its Head Quarters in Chepauk with possession of a piece of ground. In 1881, many students used the ground as a short cut to reach the Presidency College. Hence, in the next year, a sanction was obtained from the board of revenue, which was then in charge of the Chepauk ground to enclose the ground with railings at a cost of little over Rs.400. Thus once again the Chepauk ground was used for playing cricket. 7 MADRAS CRICKET CLUB- THE CYNOSURE OF SOUTH INDIAN SPORTS The First sports club to be developed by the British in Madras was the Madras Cricket Club which was in more ways than one responsible for the spread of sports in South India. And it owes its beginnings to Sir Alexander .J. Arbuthnot. Sir Alexander, an important figure in the 19 th century History of the Madras Presidency, founded the Madras Cricket Club in 1846, a fact established beyond doubt in his memoirs, “ Memories of Rugby and India”, published in 1910 by T.Fisher Unwin of London. 3 Volume VI, Issue I, January/2019 Page No:2217 JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 The earliest cricket played in Madras, believed to be in 1765, was played on the Island in the shadow of Fort.St.George. It was here that the first tents of the Madras Cricket Club were pitched on Match days. The land belonged to the military and was lent to the club on Informal Basis. 8 Today, the Madras Cricket Club is known as the “Cradle of South Indian Cricket.” In 1865, the government granted the Madras Cricket Club a piece of land on the Chepauk Premises for the construction of a cricket ground. By 20 th October, 1865, Rs.730 had been spent on leveling the ground. The following year a pavilion designed by Robert Chisholm, Consulting Architect to the government, was built in the Northwest corner of the ground. 9 In the early days the Madras Cricket Club started conducting Hockey, Tennis and Squash tournaments in addition to the cricket tournament. Another important activity of the club was the organization of the “Presidency Matches”. In 1915, after serious discussions the Madras Cricket Club represented by Percival Partridge and the Madras United Cub under the illustrious Buchi Babu finally agreed to stage an annual fixture, between the Presidency Europeans and the Presidency Indians. In the 1920’s, grounds of the club were still not enclosed with boundary walls and it was felt desirable by the members to avoid the nuisance of stray cattle, to construct a boundary wall and a special general meeting of the members of the club was held on 13 th March 1922 to consider the boundary wall, presidency matches, Tennis and Hockey tournaments. After some discussion, the authorities of the club passed the following resolution: 4 Volume VI, Issue I, January/2019 Page No:2218 JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 “That a boundary wall and railings be created around the club grounds as per plans already prepared and that the net proceeds of the Cricket matches, Tennis and Hockey tournaments are allotted each year to the wall account liquidated.” The amendment was accepted by the Chairman and put to the vote of the members present and carried out unanimously. 10 The first mention of a lease for the ground appeared in 1922, in the proceedings of a Committee meeting on 6 th September. After the signing of the lease, the club’s activities in all directions increased considerably and the Chepauk grounds came to be a recognized cricketing centre for both Ranji Trophy as well as International matches. Another important milestone in the History of the club was its registration. The club was registered under the Indian Companies act in 1926. The Madras government gave a 20 year lease of the ground which was subsequently renewed for a further period of 20 years ending in 1966, on which date the government handed over the ground to the Madras Cricket Association for the construction of a Club House and a stadium. 11 The Madras Cricket Club in the beginning was purely a non-Indian entity. Entry into the club pavilion was denied to the Indian Cricketers. So, a sheltering tree was the grand stand of the Indian Teams. The Early 1930’s witnessed a slow but steady change in scenario. The Indians were admitted in very small numbers in the 1930’s. Later the numbers increased gradually. In the late 30’s, the Raja of Chettinad, Dr.P.Subbarayan, the Yuva Raja of Pithapuram and V.R. Lakshmi Ratan were admitted as the first batch of Indians. 12 5 Volume VI, Issue I, January/2019 Page No:2219 JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 In the years between 1934 and 1947, the Madras Cricket Club got full support from the Government of Madras. During this period the club played a dramatic part in the organization and development of Madras Cricket. The activities of the club increased considerably during this period. For all the representative matches played in the Madras Cricket Club Grounds, the club was entitled to a net profit of 20%. The 20% net profit was a windfall for the clubs funds. Test Matches were indeed a gale occasion for the Members. 13 PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT The development of the game in Madras can be conveniently divided into two phases. The first phase which encompassed the years between 1890 and 1914 witnessed the formation of a number of Indian Clubs fostering Cricket. Chief among them were the Madras United Club and the South Indian Athletic Association.