Can you beat for the cricket guru title?

[SJS]

Was it rejected by an individual?

NO

 

[Sudeep]

SJS, you've beaten the pants off me

 

[SJS]

When was the idea of a ONE DAY limited over cricket match first mooted and why was it shot down ?

Q1. Was it 1956?....No
FIRST HINT : It was before I was born and I am pushing 55
It was way back in 1943 !!

The reasons are interesting. They gave two reasons. Can anyone think what these were ?

Q2. They thought people would reject the idea of ODI's and crowds wouldnt come?....NO
Q3. Does the reason involve the world-war ?.....NO
Q4. Is it anything to do with the pitches back then?....NO
Q5. Was it rejected by an individual?....NO

 

[shankar]

SJS, we need another hint.

 

[SJS]

SJS, you've beaten the pants off me

Okay. Here it is.

In 1943, KO(knock out) matches as they were originally called , were rejected as an idea because:-

1) It would be detrimental to the art and character of the game

2) A captain would be drawn towards placing his field and using his bowler not to take wickets, but to keep the runs down. If, on the other hand, he pursued agressive tactics, he might well be assisting the opponents.

But they suggested that the talking about the idea should go on, and it did.

 

[shankar]

Oh didnt think the reasons were as straight forward as that!!!

 

[SJS]

SJS, we need another hint.

Sorry Shankar its too late. But there is more to the story.

The talking continued after the war, although the idea never got past the talking stage. Finally , believe it or not, in 1957 it was finally decided to abandon the idea all together.

This time they had three reasons. Wierder than the two offered in 1943 !!

Any one wants to try and guess at what these were. To avoid asking the same questions for these reasons, I am repeating the four asked and the answers which are the same for these three reasons also

Q1. They thought people would reject the idea of ODI's and crowds wouldnt come?....NO
Q2. Does the reason involve the world-war ?.....NO
Q3. Is it anything to do with the pitches back then?....NO
Q4. Was it rejected by an individual?....NO

 

[SJS]

Oh didnt think the reasons were as straight forward as that!!!

Want to give it a try to the second part ?

 

[shankar]

They thought people wouldnt pay to watch just 100 overs of cricket?

 

[SJS]

They thought people wouldnt pay to watch just 100 overs of cricket?

Okay I will grant that. One of the most amazing reasons given was
A KNOCKOUT CUP WOULD NOT BE A FINANCIAL SUCCESS !!
Thats about the same as what you say really, Doesnt it sound wierd today with the game living off KO cricket ??

Next two reasons ?

 

[shankar]

but not surprising considering other predictions people have made:

"Television won't be able to hold onto any market it captures after the first six mmonths. People will soon get tired of string at a plywood box every night." - Darryl F Zanuck, 1946.

"I think there is a world market for as many as 5 computers." - Thomas Watson, head of IBM,1943.

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olsen, founder of Digital, 1977 (who was wrong, even then).

 

[shankar]

They thought people would find it boring?

 

[SJS]

but not surprising considering other predictions people have made:

"Television won't be able to hold onto any market it captures after the first six mmonths. People will soon get tired of string at a plywood box every night." - Darryl F Zanuck, 1946.

"I think there is a world market for as many as 5 computers." - Thomas Watson, head of IBM,1943.

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olsen, founder of Digital, 1977 (who was wrong, even then).

Anyway. Since I want to turn in. Here are the other two reasons given and the rest of the story,

Reason # 2. There is no practical solution to rain in a one day match !

Reason # 3. Difficult to fit the matches within the framework of the county fixtures !!

So they gave up and scrapped the idea for good.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, there was a great slump in attendance in three day games (dont we know ) and the survival of the game was threatened for some of the counties in England. They were willing to try ANY remedy.

After a good deal of talking it was decided , on 20th December 1961, to inaugurate a one day tournamant. The counties needed the money badly and wanted to try it in the next season but time being short it was done in 1963 English cricket season.

Why was it called the Gillete Cup ?

The great fear everybody had was that the weather would make or mar the competition in the first year. If matches were rained off and if players had to hang around for two or three days to get a ONE DAY game finished, with not enough people watching, it would be a financial disaster.

Even with good whether, there was no guarantee that people would come to watch. They did not know how to guard against this.

Somehow Gillette came to know about there predicament and their Chairman wrote to Lord's suggesting Gillette underwrite the tourney with a block grant of 6500 pounds !! Thats how the Gillette Cup came to be played and the first match took place on 30th Apriul 1963 at Old Trafford, Manchester. Sussex led by Dexter were the first winners of the Gillette Cup.

 

[shankar]

Interesting!!
Ok Since you're turning in,I'll ask the next one - In the 1884-85 Ashes series, after the first test at Adelaide, the entire Australian team was changed for the second test. What was the non sporting reason for the change?

 

[Sudeep]

The entire team walked out, as a result of displeasure with the payments?

 

[shankar]

The entire team walked out, as a result of displeasure with the payments?

Your answer is partly right. The reason why this happened was that the australian team had demanded 50% of the gate-money from the authorities!!!

 

[JASON]

Is it Sudeep's turn then to ask next question ?

 

[Sudeep]

Is it Sudeep's turn then to ask next question ?

Well, since I've already asked a question in the other thread, I don't mind if anyone wants to ask the next one here instead of me...

 

[JASON]

OK, No one has posted a question for a long time and the thread is static !!This is why I think Biased Indian has been annoyed in the past, because the chain seems to be broken, because of people not asking questions, even if simple, to keep the thread going !!

By passing on, we are uncertain if anyone will post question!!

So I think we should make it a simple rule, that everyone should post a question (as far as possible, even if the question is simple) to keep this thread going when ever they answer a question .

Question -

Name the Test Match in which 4 players kept wicket for a Team . Who were the keepers ? May I add that 2 of the keepers were actually substitutes .

 

[SJS]

OK, No one has posted a question for a long time and the thread is static !!This is why I think Biased Indian has been annoyed in the past, because the chain seems to be broken, because of people not asking questions, even if simple, to keep the thread going !!

By passing on, we are uncertain if anyone will post question!!

So I think we should make it a simple rule, that everyone should post a question (as far as possible, even if the question is simple) to keep this thread going when ever they answer a question .

Question -

Name the Test Match in which 4 players kept wicket for a Team . Who were the keepers ? May I add that 2 of the keepers were actually substitutes .

In 1986 in the Lords test against New Zealeand , Englands keeper Bruce French was injured and Bill Athey kept wickets. Later, in the same match, Bob Taylor and Bobby Parks who were not in the team, kept wickets. After that the law was changed and substitutes were barred from keeping wickets.