Sport Today

This is a good article about Mushtaq Ali's England visit, published in
Times Of India,

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=16903757

There is an interesting piece in this article, which I am giving
below. What would recent teams (read Australia & SAF) have done if
someone were nearing his maiden century?

Just wondering,

Atul.

---Start Quote---

His intrepid batsmanship, lithe athleticism and uncomplicated approach
to the game is part of Indian cricket lore. Most memorable, of course,
is Mushtaq Ali's maiden Test hundred at Manchester in 1936, and his
double hundred partnership with Vijay Merchant made at almost a
run-a-ball.

Of the innings itself, Mushtaq Ali can recall even minor details, but
says he remembers it most for the lesson he learnt about how this game
should be played. "I can remember almost every stroke of that innings,
every word Vijaybhai and I spoke in the middle. But most of all I
remember England captain Wally Hammond coming up to me when I was 96,
patting me on the back and saying, 'Lad, you need only four runs for a
memorable hundred, don't throw it away'. That's the spirit this game
should be played in."

---End Quote---

This puts me in mind of a WG Grace anecdote, in which a young opposition
batsman went to tea on 96 not out.  Grace came up to him as they were
walking off and told him "Lad, I'll be bowling the first over to you after
tea.  You've played very well and deserve to make 100, so I shall bowl you a
long hop on leg stump for your first ball".  Good for his word, Grace did
indeed bowl such a ball, and the young batsman, e***d, swung it in the air
straight to a specially placed fielder on the square leg boundary...

phil