Queen Elizabeth II, who turned 92 last week, would be a regular at Lord's Cricket Ground to get introduced to participating teams
India captain Ajit Wadekar introduces Sunil Gavaskar to Queen Elizabeth II during the 1971 Lord's Test against England. P Krishnamurthy, Kenia Jayantilal and Syed Kirmani look on as Gundappa Viswanath (right) awaits his turn. Pic/Getty Images
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The Queen of England, Elizabeth II, turning 92 last Saturday got me thinking about the humongous amount of cricketers she may have met on her various trips to Lord's Cricket Ground to interact with teams every English summer.
Her cricketing visits at the spiritual home of cricket started even before she was officially crowned Queen in 1953. Nari Contractor, who opened for India in the 1959 Lord's Test, had a rib broken by England pace great Brian Statham. He batted through pain and breathlessness to score 81. While Australian great Keith Miller, who was reporting on that series, wrote that Contractor should get a Victoria Cross for the bravest innings he ever witnessed, Contractor met the Queen later in the Test.
After being introduced to the Mumbai-based future India captain, the Queen asked Contractor whether he was the one who was injured on Day One of the Test. Her concern and beauty left a lasting impression on Contractor.
Seven years earlier, in 1952, Vinoo Mankad earned the Queen's appreciation in the game which is now known as 'Mankad's Test' for his 72 and 184 apart from a five-wicket haul. In a book on Mankad, author and now veteran statistician Sudhir Vaidya wrote that the Queen told Mankad at the tea interval on Day Four, "I enjoyed your game on TV and I heartily congratulate you on your grand performance."
Syed Abid Ali, who was introduced to the Queen on India's 1971 tour, told me on Tuesday that he ensured he offered the Queen only his four fingers while greeting her because that was the right thing to do. His fellow Hyderabadi, Kenia Jayantilal didn't have a clue of the norm. He revealed that when he put forward his full hand to touch the Queen's gloved hands, she asked, "First time to England?" That probably was a message to the player that he didn't shake her hand the right way.
Dilip Sardesai met the Queen twice — in 1967 and 1971. In the first instance, his right hand was in plaster due to an injury caused by England fast bowler John Snow. Dilip's wife Nandini not only sent me a photograph of the Queen looking at her late husband's outstretched hand with concern, she also related an anecdote. "Dilip visited his cousin's home in London later that evening and the people in the neighbourhood heard about him meeting the Queen. The ladies wanted to touch the hand that greeted royalty. Some of them urged him not to wash his hand," said Nandini with a chuckle.
Probably the most fascinating Indian story about the Queen concerns Farokh Engineer. In Farokh — The Cricketing Cavalier, the stumper says he lined up with the rest of his 1967 teammates on the hallowed turf at Lord's where his skipper MAK Pataudi was introducing his team to the Queen. Engineer was an anxious father-to-be. When the Queen approached him, she said, "Engineer, I've got some special news for you. It's a girl." A few minutes earlier, Billy Griffith, the MCC secretary was handed a telegram. It was from Mumbai and Griffith whispered in the Queen's ear, requesting her to break the news to Engineer.
Dickie Bird, the popular English umpire, was with a tour group in New Zealand a year after his 1996 retirement when he received an invitation from Buckingham Palace to have lunch with the Queen at a reception organised by the Central Council for Physical Recreation. According to Bird, as recounted in his autobiography, it meant enduring a 29-hour journey to London. The former international umpire wanted to be there despite him meeting her on 26 previous occasions. At the White Room of the Buckingham Palace, the Queen appreciated the fact that Bird had come all the way from New Zealand for the reception. She was probably more impressed when he told her that he was at the palace gates four hours in advance to ensure he wouldn't be late.
Dennis Lillee, the Australian fast bowling great, too, met the Queen on more than one occasion. His first — in 1972 — turned out to be amusing to his captain Ian Chappell and manager Ray Steele. Since the Australians beat England inside four days at Lord's, the Queen's scheduled visit to the ground could not take place.
Instead, the Australians had to meet her at Buckingham Palace later in the day (June 26). This meant that the victorious Australians had to ensure they were somewhat sober after the celebrations. The 'How do you do, ma'am' protocol was explained to each member. Lillee didn't seem to remember the instructions when his turn arrived. And, after Chappell said, "Your Majesty, Dennis Lillee," Lillee responded by saying, "G'day ma'am." Chappell couldn't decide whether to be angry or laugh. At the end of the ceremony, he thought he should inform Steele about Lillee's utterance to the Queen and the manager revealed that Lillee said the same to Prince Phillip.
At 92, the Queen may not recall the Lillee faux pas, but she could recollect him asking for her autograph during the 1977 Centenary Test at Melbourne where she politely refused, but had one sent to him by post. Looks like the Queen loves her cricket.
mid-day's group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance. He tweets @ClaytonMurzello Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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