Cricket Gallery

England - 1981 Ashes Series

Cricket - 1981 Australia Tour of England - England training before Second Ashes Test at Lords
The England team group, with captain Ian Botham.
Back (l-r): Mike Gatting, Bob Woolmer, Peter Wiley, Graham Dilley, John Emburey, Graham Gooch, David Gower.
Front: Bob Taylor, Bob Willis, Ian Botham (captain), Geoffrey Boycott, Mike Hendrick (12th man).
Botham recorded a pair as England drew the game to remain 1-0 down in the series, and he resigned the captaincy before the Third Test. With Mike Brearley installed as captain, Botham put in a series of brilliant performances as England won the Ashes 3-1. He scored 399 runs and took 34 wickets, and was named Man of the Series

© Colorsport

The Rajkumar of Vizianagram - 1936 All-India captain

Cricket - 1936 All-India Tour of England
The Rajkumar of Vizianagram (aka 'Vizzy'), Vijay Ananda Gajapathi Raju, captain of the 1936 All India Tour of England.
The 1936 All India side has been described as the 'one of the most unhappy and poorly led teams of all time'. The captain was the Maharajah (Prince) of Vizianagram, nicknamed 'Vizzy', an untalented player who had gained the position through extensive political lobbying, his family's wealth, and his standing as a prominent cricket sponsor in India.
In all the team won just 4 of the 28 first-class games played, losing 12, and lost the three-match Test series 2-0. Vizzy's on-field strategy was described by the post-tour enquiry as 'disastrous...he did not understand field placings or bowling changes and never maintained any regular batting order', and in the test series he scored 33 runs at 8.25 batting at no.9 and not bowling. He ostracised many of the players with his manner off the pitch too, leaving many players out of the team for weeks on end.
However the incident that caused major controversy was when star all-rounder Lala Amarnath was sent home for reportedly swearing in Punjabi (a language Vizzy didn't even speak) after having been made to wait by his captain for hours padded up while suffering with a bad back as others were sent in to bat above him. Many believe the punishment was politically motivated as Amarnath, who came from a poor background, was not only the best player in the side but the most natural leader. The enquiry later exonerated Armarnath of any blame. Despite all this, during the trip Vizzy was fast-tracked into the MCC and became the only active test player in history to be knighted

© Colorsport

Nawab of Pataudi Snr - 1946 All-India captain

Cricket - 1946 All-India Tour of England - Worcestershire bt India 16r
All India captain Nawab of Pataudi Snr., Ifitikhar Ali Khan (sometimes known as I.A.K. Pataudi), at New Road, Worcester, on 4th May 1946.
He is the only test cricketer to have played for both England and India, featuring for the former during the 'Bodyline' Series in 1932/3 when he dissented against Douglas Jardine's 'leg theory' tactics. He was captain of the 1946 All-India touring side. He also played for Oxford Unviersity.
His son Mansoor, known as the Nawab of Pataudi, Jr, also later served as captain of the India cricket team; they are the only father-son pair to captain India.
England and India now compete for the 'Patuadi Trophy' when they face each other in test matches

© Colorsport