MCC v Bombay Gymkhana

Thursday 16th March 2006

The first match of the MCC tour of India was played at one of the oldest cricket clubs in Mumbai. Bombay Gymkhana was built in 1875 during the colonial era and the cool breeze on the veranda was in stark contrast to the intense heat on the field.

MCC lost the toss and were put into bat. After a tentative start, the runs started to flow with Chinmay Gupte (49) raising the tempo and setting the stage for the middle order. Richard Kettleborough (47) seized the initiative and boundaries began to flow. Unfortunately, having swept the spinners well, that particular shot was eventually his downfall, as he was trapped LBW by Vikrant Rambhia. A hard-hitting captain’s innings from Brian Jones, of 41 not out, helped MCC through to 217 for 7. His partners at the other end had little time to get comfortable at the wicket.

After a curry lunch and plenty of re-hydration, MCC took to the field in the full heat of the midday sun (Noel Coward’s dulcet tones come to mind). A transient crowd of commuters had by this point begun to settle in any shade afforded by the surrounding palm trees to cheer on the local batsmen.

The openers got off to a flying start, hard-hitting to all parts of the ground but, once the spinners came on, the tide turned and with ten overs to go the game hung in the balance. Wickets, however, did not fall and, after two sixes in the 36th over, all ended on the first ball of the 37th with a well-timed boundary through the covers which ended the innings in a similar way to which it started.