Kapil’s shin, Bhajji’s clout

For a sport built around history, statistics and tradition, isn’t it amazing how short our memories can be? So just go back 15 years, to Port Elizabeth, the second of the seven-match ODI series being played between India and South Africa. Remember also that this series marked South Africa’s re-entry into international sport after the anti-apartheid boycott. It was also considered entirely fitting that the country that offered to break the freeze was India, always in the forefront of the anti-apartheid movement. In fact, in my Cricket memorabilia someplace I still have a cap from that tour, with “Friendship Series, 1992-93” embroidered on it with golden thread.

But do you also remember some unusual things that happened on that tour? Yes, there was the Sachin run-out in South Africa, unusual because it was the first time the umpire referred a decision to the third umpire. And then another umpire, Steve Bucknor, refused to refer a similar situation involving Jonty Rhodes to the TV umpire who would have certainly ruled him out. Both incidents have found mention in the post-Sydney coverage in the past week. But one hasn’t, and that is what I am complaining about and so, we go back to Port Elizabeth, December 9, 1992, second ODI.

Peter Kirsten (brother of Gary, the new coach) was then one of most prolific scorers for South Africa and, Kapil Dev, the India captain, had already warned him thrice against his habit of taking a start, as non-striker, before the ball was bowled. Technically, the bowler can run a batsman out like this, but in cricket, it is not usually the done thing. But because Kirsten persisted, Kapil now did run him out. Kirsten went out swearing, the crowd was incensed and so, it seems, was Kepler Wessels, the then South African captain, batting at the other end. So angry he was, indeed, that in the same over, he pretended to collide with the bowler (Kapil) while turning for a second run and knocked him in the shin with his bat. A little footnote here may be relevant: through years of apartheid, Wessels had played his cricket in Queensland and, even scored a century on debut as an opener for Australia. Like Ponting’s team, he had also, obviously, learnt his cricketing manners there.

Kapil’s team-mates were furious. Many told reporters on that tour that the knock left a sizeable bruise on Kapil’s shin — in fact, anybody who saw him double up with pain at that point would have figured that. But he did not retaliate. India did complain that Wessels hit Kapil deliberately, but made no big deal of it. BCCI was afraid of a diplomatic incident and played it down. There was a routine hearing by the match referee, Clive Lloyd, who claimed he had seen nothing and that the TV replays were inconclusive. But he fined Wessels half his match fees anyway.

... contd.

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