When a Test was played sans fans on last day

Hafiz Marikar

Stands burn after Venkat was controversially given out caught behind in the first Test, at the Brabourne Stadium

In November 1969 from the 4th to the 9th, a Test match between India and Australia was played, which was won by the Aussies by eight wickets. On the last day there were no cricket fans at the game. Spectators were denied entry into the stadium as there were near riots on the fourth day with parts of the stands being set on fire by an unruly crowd. The boundary lines were littered with glass soft drink bottles.

Those were the days when radio gave ball by ball commentaries describing the run of play.

In this Test, Indians were struggling at that stage when riots broke out with the tail just delaying the inevitable. Alan Connolly was bowling to Venkatarahghavan. The ball was gathered by the wicket keeper Brain Taber and Venkat was ruled out. The ball did not seem to be anywhere near the bat and it was a rather unfortunate decision. Devaraj Puri the famous commentator of that era said on air. The crowd picked it up, annoyed as they were by the home team's abject failure. Violence broke out with in seconds. Bottles were hurried, missiles were flung and the players beat a hasty retreat into the pavilion. The Police fired in the air and people began to rush out of the stands.

Play was suspended and the 9 p.m. news bulletin on All India Radio was eagerly awaited. It was known that the final day's play would be played without the public being allowed in. At the end the Australians completed the formalites and wrapped up the Test, played at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.