India registers maiden Test victory
Partab Ramchand - 20 November 2001

England put up only a semblance of a fight in the second innings. Jack Robertson (56) and Alan Watkins (48) defied the bowlers for some time, but the rest were swept away by the double spin attack of Mankad and Ghulam Ahmed, who each took four wickets. Mankad's match haul of 12 for 108 was another Indian record.

The clock atop the pavilion showed 2:54 as Brian Statham lofted Vinoo Mankad to CD Gopinath at mid-on. England were all out for 183, leaving India victors by an innings and eight runs in the final Test match against England at Chepauk, Madras, on February 10, 1952. After 25 Tests against England, Australia and the West Indies, spread over almost 20 years, India had finally broken her cricketing duck.

It had been a long wait. After reverses in England and Australia, and at home against England and the West Indies, it was generally perceived that the series against England in 1951-52 represented India's best chance to win a Test, given both the improvements made by the cricketers in the last few years and the sub-standard opposition. And yet, on the eve of the last Test, England were ahead 1-0 in the series after four Tests. It was a case of now or never for India, and the home team rose to the occasion as one man.

It was Mankad who opened the avenue initially with a mesmeric spell of bowling. The batsmen were unable to cope with his cleverly concealed left-arm spinners and, when England were all out for 266 early on the second morning, the great all-rounder had finished with eight for 55, the best ever figures by an Indian in Tests. The highlight of his superb bowling was his engrossing duel with quick-footed Tom Graveney on the first morning, which he won by having him stumped for 39.

It was now left to the batsmen to consolidate, and this they did, thanks in the main to Pankaj Roy and Polly Umrigar. The young opener from Bengal, playing in his first series, hit his second century before he was fourth out for 111. Then Umrigar, who had been included in the side at the last minute following an injury to Hemu Adhikari, took charge. Coming in at 216 for five, he took a heavy toll of spinners Roy Tattersall and Malcolm Hilton, finishing unbeaten on 130. Thanks to the fast rate of scoring, Indian captain Vijay Hazare was able to declare the innings closed at 457 for nine on the third evening, the rest day having been advanced to the second day following the death of King George VI in London.

England put up only a semblance of a fight in the second innings. Jack Robertson (56) and Alan Watkins (48) defied the bowlers for some time, but the rest were swept away by the double spin attack of Mankad and Ghulam Ahmed, who each took four wickets. Mankad's match haul of 12 for 108 was another Indian record.

The Madras crowd, orderly as ever, cheered the home team loud and long. There were victory celebrations all over the country, and cables flowed in to Madras from everywhere. President Rajendra Prasad and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru were among those who sent congratulatory messages to Hazare, who in his turn paid a handsome tribute to his team, which he said had worked together for this victory. And while the countless messages were worded slightly differently, the gist of them all was that it was the greatest day in Indian cricket.

© CricInfo

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