On field spars....... man sentenced 2 years for clubbing with Cricket bat

I remember hearing this incident and perhaps watching it on TV too… Indians were doing so well in that England tour in 1986 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev….in a session after lunch in the Leeds Test  – the commentator said ‘5 men on the off and 5 on the On as Ravi Shastri bowls’ …. What 5 & 5 – that sounds something wrong….. yes, it is – 12 fielders on field ….. for one full over there were 12 men – the man on his first tour had come in as a substitute for Krish Srikkanth; Cheeka returned … he did not inform; the substitute fielder did not leave and the Umpires also failed to notice …

~ that was Raman Lamba, who played 4 Tests and 32 ODIs later and unfortunately died on the cricket field.  He scored 102 at Rajkot against Border’s team and was MoM.  Raman Lamba was known for his flamboyance and fitness.  He went on to play Cricket in Bangladesh when it was at its nascent stage…. Was fielding at shortleg without wearing a helmet playing for Abahani Krira Chakra club in the final of Premier division cricket match ~ the bowler was leftarm spinner Saifullah Khan and the batsman was Mehrab Hossain.  The shot perhaps hit him on the temple, he walked out of the ground – not to enter it again, succumbing to internal hemorrhage at the age of 38.  

Today’s Times of India, Chennai Edition has this interesting news of ‘a man sentenced to two years in jail’ for assault on the field.  A city court has handed a man a two-year jail term for assaulting another person with a bat during a game of cricket. On a Saturday evening in 2010, V Ranganathan and his friends were playing cricket in a field in Saidapet. Their ball was inadvertently tossed near a pitch, where two other teams were facing off. Furious, Ahmad Ali, who was batting on that pitch bashed Ranganathan in the head with his bat.

According to the prosecution, on July 25, 2010, Ranganathan had requested Ali to return the cricket ball. However, furious that the other team had interrupted his game, Ali allegedly threatened to kill Ranganathan. He then went on to clobber him with his bat till he lost consciousness. Ranganathan’s friends rushed him to Government General Hospital. Doctors there said he had sustained a concussion on his head.  The next day, the Saidapet police arrested Ali and registered a case under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (wrongfully restraining a person) and 506 (1) (criminal intimidation), of the Indian Penal Code. A court subsequently remanded Ali in judicial custody. Police charged Ali with attempted murder and the case was transferred from the IX metropolitan magistrate, Saidapet, to the principal sessions court, which reassigned it before the first additional sessions court.

Judge J Krishnamoorthy took into consideration the evidence provided by Ranganathan’s friends Chittibabu and Sadham. According to their statements, the ball had repeatedly reached the pitch where Ali and his team were playing. Sadham said there was a confrontation and a “quarrel”, following which Ali hit Ranganathan with a cricket bat. The Judge ruled that it was not a case of attempt to murder. Instead, he found Ali guilty under Section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and sentenced him to two years imprisonment. The court also slapped a fine of 1,000 on him. The court said it was not a case of criminal intimidation or an attempt to murder. Instead, Ali was guilty of causing grievous injury by weapons.

Ugly spats are not restricted to ‘street cricket’ …… Ambati Rayudu at last debuted for India, after having emerged to be a great prospect – a man who can bat, who can keep and more…. while playing for Hyderabad years ago, Rayudu was attacked by Arjun Yadav, son of famed Shivlal Yadav.  Worser still was the left arm pacer from Baroda Rashid Patel chasing Raman Lamba with a stick in hand.  It was Jan 1991, Duleep Trophy final at that between West Zone and North zone.  Lamba made 180 and NZ piled up 729/9 when declaration came.  In the 2nd Lamba was taunting them again having scored 26 odd runs…… Kiran More was the Captain who reportedly shouted something to Rashid Patel, who kept bouncing bouncers to Lamba.  Reportedly Patel overstepped far too long and hurled one short with a big ‘no-ball’, injuring Lamba.  The incident was widely reported in all newspapers.  There were exchange of words, incensed Lamba reportedly waved his bat – Rashid Patel plucked the stump, chased him around the ground and probably hit him too.  Following an enquiry Lamba was debarred for 10 months and Rashid Patel – 13 months … Lamba filed before Delhi City court which rejected the petition. 

photo credit : cricinfo.com

In 1992, there was an International event – at Perth when the mighty Dennis Lillee and dogged Javed Mianded were involved in an unseemly altercation.  Lillee was not having a great day and Miandad reportedly teased him with some snide remarks… when Miandad played down to fineleg and set off for a single, Lillee deliberately crossed his path and collided. Miandad’s bat hit Lillee’s back, Lillee kicked him on his knee - resembling a boxer ~ Miandad advanced with bat held high in a threatening gesture …. Aussie Capt Greg Chappel entirely blamed Miandad, though Lillee got a warning a $ 200 fine…

Recently in an off-field brawl at around 2 am in a bar in Birmingham city Aussies were celebrating their win over England at Edgbaston; a small contingent of English players had also come to be bar.  David Warner reportedly threw a punch at England player Joe Root in an altercation and promptly received a ban….

Cricket is a game; regarded as played by gentlemen !!

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

20^th Mar 2o14.