Watching England vs Rajasthan Cricket Match with Dicky Rutnagar

Author: 
C V Vaidynathan

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Chittur Veer Vaidyanathan was born in Churu (Rajasthan) in 1948, and grew up in Jaipur. After a successful corporate career, during which his work with his company led to an Export Promotion Award from the Indian Ministry of Textiles, he is now a developer of real estate near Mumbai http://www.universalbuilder.co.in/.  He lives in Mumbai with his wife Hemlatha; his son and daughter, both married, live in the U.S. His hobbies are swimming and traveling.

Editor's note: This is adapted from http://vaidyanathancv.blogspot.com/.

Dicky Rutnagar,known as D.J. and Dicky, passed away  yesterday the 20th June (2013) in London. Dicky was an Indian sports Journalist for the Hindustan Times during 1960's. Later on, he covered cricket as a commentator cum sports journalist for the Daily Telegraph,U.K.

In 1961-62, Dicky covered the tour of the English cricket team, which was called the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) team, to India. MCC was led by Ted Dexter.

MCC played a 3-day match against Rajasthan in Jaipur on November 22-24, 1961. (Ed. note: The details of the match are available at http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1960S/1961-62/ENG_IN_IND/MCC_RAJ_22-24NOV1961.html)

Dicky covered the match. I happened to view the game from the journalist/press gallery, courtesy Directorate of Public Relation Department, Government of Rajasthan, where my father was Deputy Director (News). For three days, I saw the game placed just behind Dicky.

I saw the batting display of Ken Barrington hitting 3 consecutive SIXES off the bowling of Salim Durrani. Unfortunately, Ken got out for 97 (Ed. note: his actual score was 91). Durrani himself scored a hard hitting stylish 117 (Ed. note: his actual score was 124) against the bowling attack of pacer White and spinner Tony Lock.

While watching the match, I simultaneously admired Dicky furiously using his portable typewriter to report on the proceedings.

The Rajasthan team, led by the Maharana of Mewar, was represented by leading players like Vinoo Mankad, Vijay Manjrekar, Subash Gupte, Hanumant Singh, Raj Singh of Dungarpur, and pacer Sundaram.

It was a memorable moment of my life. I still remember Ted Dexter guarding the covers area of the field, and bowling medium pacers with a great smooth flowing action. I was barely 14 years old then. This game made me a cricket enthusiastic. Within the next two years, I was selected to represent my state for Rajasthan Schools. Subsequently, I participated actively in cricket, and became the captain of the Rajasthan University team. I was among the probables to represent Rajasthan State in the Ranji Trophy. This was at a time when the Rajasthan team had 9 Test Players. It was great to be in the squad.

I will always remember Dicky as a fair, tall, spectacled man, slightly leaning to his right. He had a majestic gait; he would reach the venue by crossing lush ground through the middle, with all his paraphernalia with supreme authority.


© Chittur Veer Vaidyanathan 2016

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