Blast from the Past - The McDowell Six-A-Side Tournament 1992-93

This was sometime in 1992-93 I guess, after I had stopped playing competitive cricket and was mostly restricted to club cricket (as can be seen by my girth). Charu Sharma came with this idea of hosting a 6-a-side cricket tournament. Uncle Jai was the guiding force for him and they invited some 6-8 clubs. Secunderabad Club, Nizam Club, Riding Club, New Club, Deccan Club etc and one side called the McDowell's side. I was included in the team which was led by my Under 25 skipper Manohar. Sanjay, Ramakrishna, R Sridhar, who later went on to coach the Indian team successfully were there along with a young wicket keeper.

Ram, me, Wicket keeper, Uncle Jai, Manohar (skipper), Sanjay, Sharma (Manager), R Sridhar, one other youngster

We sailed through to the finals despite me conceding a six off the last ball of a match and losing that game but we met the star studded Secunderabad Club in the final - Vivek Jaisimha, Vidyuth Jaisimha, Ranga Raj, Keerti - cannot remember the other names - but pretty solid.

We tied the scores at 52 each and we had a bowl out. Five players except the wicket keeper would bowl at three stumps and whoever hits the stumps more, will win. Guess what, in the nine players who bowled including many first class cricketers (Vicks, Manu, R, Ranga, Vidyuth), no one hit the stumps. Out steps the hero - me - the tenth bowler with no pressure to hit. I pitched it up sensibly to avoid any lateral movement and hit middle and off!

What a finish!

We celebrated big time at Secunderabad Club that evening. The best comment I got was from VK Ramaswamy the Test umpire who was the umpire for that game. 'From now on only Hari gets LBW decisions from me,' he declared. 'Only he is getting the stumps'. And of course meeting Uncle Jai at the club, i received a 'well bowled Harry.' I quipped - 'finally all my years of hard work is paying off Uncle.' He just shook his head and laughed. Junie Aunty (who shared this pic today after meeting Manu in New Zealand yesterday) made the mistake of asking me to get her an ice cream and I could not get it until Vicks rescued me and got one for her. Lovely days.