Ranji’s Revenge
Cricketing legend W. G. Grace tells a story illustrating how fellow-batsman K. S. Ranjitsinhji set about winning the hearts of English cricketers.
?1890
Queen Victoria 1837-1901
Cricketing legend W. G. Grace tells a story illustrating how fellow-batsman K. S. Ranjitsinhji set about winning the hearts of English cricketers.
?1890
Queen Victoria 1837-1901
“Among cricketers” wrote that great cricketing legend Dr W. G. Grace, “‘Ranji’ is exceedingly popular, his open-hearted generosity and geniality having captured all their hearts.” But when K. S. Ranjitsinhji (1872-1933) first came up to Cambridge in 1888, he had yet to win his popularity — even as he had yet to win his crown as Prince of Nawanagar. From this story, it is easy to see how Ranji wore down the barriers.
ONE of the best stories of the Indian Prince is vouched for by the Cambridge journalist who collaborated with ‘Ranji’ in writing his Jubilee Book of Cricket. When ‘Ranji’ was at Cambridge he went on a tour with the Cassandra Cricket Club.* A member of an opposing side inquired of some of the visitors if ‘that dark chap could speak English?’ They, speedily foreseeing possibilities, replied seriously that he knew a few words, such as ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ and ‘How’s that?’
When the unconscious ‘Ranji’ went to the wickets, to his great astonishment he heard some lively criticisms of his batting. He made a characteristically huge score, and every now and again some one of the fielding side would ejaculate, ‘Here, isn’t it time this fellow went out?’ Once, when the ball struck ‘Ranji’ in the chest and doubled him up, the fielding captain audibly hoped that it would ‘knock some of the steam out of the beggar.’ At the subsequent luncheon, when Ranjitsinhji rose to toast genially the home side, several faces were seen to change colour.*
The Cassandra Club was a Cambridge-based cricket team that played its home matches on Parker’s Piece, some twenty-five acres of open ground in the city centre (it was here that the rules of football adopted by the newly-formed Football Association in 1863 had grown to maturity). The Cambridge University team at the time was extremely strong, so in order to attract the notice of the selectors, Ranji played immense amounts of cricket, appearing for several clubs (often under the pseudonym of ‘Smith’) and on one occasion played three matches simultaneously, scoring a century in each. He was rewarded in 1893, when he represented Cambridge in the Varsity Match against supreme rivals Oxford.
Journalist A. G. Gardiner (‘Alpha of the Plough’), an admirer of Ranji’s batting, would also have admired his way of dealing with discourtesy. See Give the Wall.
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Ranji wanted to play cricket for Cambridge University. He played in lots of cricket matches. Sometimes he played more than one at a time.
See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.
IQuest. IISimultaneous. IIITake.