Times Calcutta 2012
In a floodlit corner of the huge Eden Gardens stadium last night some 200 local cricket aficionados and dignitaries turned out for the felicitation of Ted Dexter by the Cricket Association of Bengal in a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of Test matches between England and India.
It would be cynical and wrong to suggest that Dexter is popular here because he was the first England captain to lose a series to India, in 1961-62, and then chairman of selectors in 1992-93, when his side was beaten in all three Tests.
Nowhere do they appreciate charisma more than in India and Dexter possessed that in spades on and off the field. His charm shone through the ceremony, his eyes twinkling as brightly as they had been half-an-hour beforehand when he reflected on his experiences of a country he loves.
The 1961-62 tour visited what are now all four Test-playing nations on the sub-continent.
The India series was sandwiched in the middle of a programme in Pakistan. Peter May, Colin Cowdrey, Fred Trueman and Brian Statham were among those who made themselves unavailable, but Dexter jumped at the opportunity to take charge.
“As a cricket experience for a young captain getting a grounding it was the best bar none,” he said. “There was no television and very few hotels. We mostly stayed in rest houses and made our own entertainment. But we were garlanded and made to feel important wherever we went.
“I loved the speeches and big evenings, the spirit and colour of it all. It was fabulous for me and on the back of it I managed to sneak to Australia as captain in 1962-63. Although we lost 2-0, many younger players like Peter Parfitt, Geoff Pullar and Kenny Barrington went on to have very good careers.”
England drew the first three games, but Dexter lost a crucial toss at Calcutta to Nari Contractor, who was also lauded last night. The ball spun sharply after the first day and England succumbed by 187 runs. Salim Durani, the left-arm spinner born in Afghanistan, took eight wickets in the match.
Over the series, the England spin pair of Tony Lock and David Allen held their own. “Dear old Locky was among the few big names who came with us,” Dexter said. “Sadly, he was at the end of his England career because his knees were buggered. But he hurled himself around the field all the time and I couldn’t get the ball off him — a great competitor.”
Some questionable umpiring decisions did not help England. “Well, they were locals,” Dexter said. “I once asked Don Bradman whether he thought there was any slight bias with home umpiring. I tried to be discreet. ‘Always,’ he said back straightaway. But everybody had home umpires then.” At least Dexter avoided illness.
“I have never had a single day's problem in India,” he said. “Tom Pearce [the tour manager] told me not to drink alcohol unless I was with him, but if we drank whisky together we would be all right.” A nip every day kept the bugs away. “Actually, it might have been a couple,” he said.
The 1992-93 series was the nadir of his four years in charge of picking the England side. He was lampooned after the loss at Calcutta, when England chose four pace bowlers, for saying that he would commission a report into smog over India by way of response to the defeat.
“Our side was in a terrible state,” he said. “Air India had gone on strike so we did all our travelling by train or bus, and it is a huge place. I invited Graham Gooch to dinner with us first night and halfway through the soup he just conked out, shattered. We were a poor bunch.
“And I did get into terrible trouble about the smog. One night I’d been sitting next to this professor. He told me he was studying the effects of pollution on athletes. A couple of our team had been coughing, so I asked for a copy of it. It sounded interesting. Let me tell you that I haven’t seen that report to this day.”
Dexter is 77 and less steady on his pins. But his style is undimmed by age. A well-cut, sky
blue suit testified to that, and the sea air around his home in Nice in the South of France is helping his health. He comments on the game in a blog that also features fashion tips from his wife, Susan, a former model.
Celebrations were due to continue today with a parade during a break in the third Test. Eden Gardens has changed, he thinks, over the past 50 years.
“But one thing is the same,” he said. “The crowds have always been wonderful. When you play against an India team, you are taking on the whole of India.”
From Milan to Marylebone
• Born in Milan on May 15, 1935
• A beautiful strokemaker, he played 62 Tests for England from 1958-68, scoring 4,502 runs at 47.89 and taking 66 wickets at 34.93
• Chairman of selectors from 1989-93
• Also worked as a journalist and broadcaster
• Stood as the unsuccessful Conservative candidate against James Callaghan in the 1964 General Election
• Married Susan Longfield, a model
• Became president of MCC and was appointed CBE in 2001
It would be cynical and wrong to suggest that Dexter is popular here because he was the first England captain to lose a series to India, in 1961-62, and then chairman of selectors in 1992-93, when his side was beaten in all three Tests.
Nowhere do they appreciate charisma more than in India and Dexter possessed that in spades on and off the field. His charm shone through the ceremony, his eyes twinkling as brightly as they had been half-an-hour beforehand when he reflected on his experiences of a country he loves.
The 1961-62 tour visited what are now all four Test-playing nations on the sub-continent.
The India series was sandwiched in the middle of a programme in Pakistan. Peter May, Colin Cowdrey, Fred Trueman and Brian Statham were among those who made themselves unavailable, but Dexter jumped at the opportunity to take charge.
“As a cricket experience for a young captain getting a grounding it was the best bar none,” he said. “There was no television and very few hotels. We mostly stayed in rest houses and made our own entertainment. But we were garlanded and made to feel important wherever we went.
“I loved the speeches and big evenings, the spirit and colour of it all. It was fabulous for me and on the back of it I managed to sneak to Australia as captain in 1962-63. Although we lost 2-0, many younger players like Peter Parfitt, Geoff Pullar and Kenny Barrington went on to have very good careers.”
England drew the first three games, but Dexter lost a crucial toss at Calcutta to Nari Contractor, who was also lauded last night. The ball spun sharply after the first day and England succumbed by 187 runs. Salim Durani, the left-arm spinner born in Afghanistan, took eight wickets in the match.
Over the series, the England spin pair of Tony Lock and David Allen held their own. “Dear old Locky was among the few big names who came with us,” Dexter said. “Sadly, he was at the end of his England career because his knees were buggered. But he hurled himself around the field all the time and I couldn’t get the ball off him — a great competitor.”
Some questionable umpiring decisions did not help England. “Well, they were locals,” Dexter said. “I once asked Don Bradman whether he thought there was any slight bias with home umpiring. I tried to be discreet. ‘Always,’ he said back straightaway. But everybody had home umpires then.” At least Dexter avoided illness.
“I have never had a single day's problem in India,” he said. “Tom Pearce [the tour manager] told me not to drink alcohol unless I was with him, but if we drank whisky together we would be all right.” A nip every day kept the bugs away. “Actually, it might have been a couple,” he said.
The 1992-93 series was the nadir of his four years in charge of picking the England side. He was lampooned after the loss at Calcutta, when England chose four pace bowlers, for saying that he would commission a report into smog over India by way of response to the defeat.
“Our side was in a terrible state,” he said. “Air India had gone on strike so we did all our travelling by train or bus, and it is a huge place. I invited Graham Gooch to dinner with us first night and halfway through the soup he just conked out, shattered. We were a poor bunch.
“And I did get into terrible trouble about the smog. One night I’d been sitting next to this professor. He told me he was studying the effects of pollution on athletes. A couple of our team had been coughing, so I asked for a copy of it. It sounded interesting. Let me tell you that I haven’t seen that report to this day.”
Dexter is 77 and less steady on his pins. But his style is undimmed by age. A well-cut, sky
blue suit testified to that, and the sea air around his home in Nice in the South of France is helping his health. He comments on the game in a blog that also features fashion tips from his wife, Susan, a former model.
Celebrations were due to continue today with a parade during a break in the third Test. Eden Gardens has changed, he thinks, over the past 50 years.
“But one thing is the same,” he said. “The crowds have always been wonderful. When you play against an India team, you are taking on the whole of India.”
From Milan to Marylebone
• Born in Milan on May 15, 1935
• A beautiful strokemaker, he played 62 Tests for England from 1958-68, scoring 4,502 runs at 47.89 and taking 66 wickets at 34.93
• Chairman of selectors from 1989-93
• Also worked as a journalist and broadcaster
• Stood as the unsuccessful Conservative candidate against James Callaghan in the 1964 General Election
• Married Susan Longfield, a model
• Became president of MCC and was appointed CBE in 2001
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