Gopalan Trophy all set for revival

For about 30 years, it was perhaps the most eagerly awaited annual contest for cricket fans across both sides of the Palk Straits. It was held alternately in Madras and Colombo, top players made it a point to take part, the contests were keen and the cricketing standards high. Named after the famed Indian double international MJ Gopalan, Madras and Ceylon attached utmost importance to the annual match, which commenced at Madras in 1952-53. Given the special relationship between the South Indian State and the emerald isle, it was but fitting that the two took the lead in cementing a relationship that would ultimately draw India and Sri Lanka closer.

Ceylon won that inaugural match by 95 runs. The next year at Colombo, Ceylon reaffirmed their supremacy by winning by an innings and 108 runs. The tie was not held in 1954-55 but Ceylon continued their dominance by winning by an innings and 14 runs in 1955-56 and by five wickets the next year.

Madras won the trophy for the first time in 1957-58. defeating Ceylon by two wickets. The first drawn game in the annual series was played at Colombo in 1958-59 but Madras retained the trophy on the first innings lead. The next year at Madras, the home team registered an eight wicket victory.

In the sixties, however Ceylon emerged as much the stronger team. They won the 1960-61 contest by 169 runs, and by an innings and 66 runs the next year. In 1963-64, they again won by six wickets while in 1962-63 and 1964-65 the match was not held.

Madras emerged winners in 1965-66 and 1966-67 but then Ceylon won the trophy for three successive years. From 1970-71 to 1972-73 it was Madras' turn (by the time the state had been christened Tamil Nadu) to register three successive victories. By 1973-74, Ceylon had been christened Sri Lanka and the new name proved lucky for them. Tamil Nadu won the trophy in 1974-75 at Salem, the first time it was held outside Madras. In 1975-76 and 1976-77 however Sri Lanka were the winners.

By this time however Sri Lanka were in the midst of their bid to become a full member of the International Cricket Council. Not only were they playing unofficial `Tests' against India and other countries, they had also participated in the inaugural World Cup in 1975 and acquited themselves creditably even if they lost all three group matches. It came as no surprise that towards the end of the decade, the Sri Lankan authorities were rather chary in having contests with a state side, convinced that continuance of the Gopalan Trophy tie might be damaging to their chances of getting Test status. For three successive years from 1977-78 to 1979-80 the match was not played. When the contest was resumed in 1980-81 at Salem, Sri Lanka won on the first innings lead. There was no match in 1981-82 but the next year at Colombo, Sri Lanka again won on the first innings lead. By that time, Sri Lanka had become a full member of the ICC and had played their first Test matches and to be candid, it did not come as a surprise that the contests were discontinued.

Till date, that game in 1982-83 has been the last of the series in which Sri Lanka have won 15 times and Tamil Nadu nine. And it has been a series that has seen some great matches and performances. Who can forget Tamil Nadu's three run victory at Madras in 1972-73 or their two wicket win in 1957-58? Who can also forget CI Gunasekara's 212 in 1958-59, the highest score in the series or Duleep Mendis' 194 at Madras in 1976-77 or Michael Dalvi's 179 at Salem in 1974-75? Also on the unforgettable list are the bowling performances - VV Kumar's 12 for 108 in 1957-58, J Arenhold's 11 for 43 in 1956-57, D Sahabandu's 11 for 137 in 1968-69 or S Venkatraghavan's 11 for 140 in 1974-75.

All in all, the contests featured much good cricket and it was a pity that they could not be held even though there were voices in cricket circles on both sides that the annual tie should be revived. In the last few years, however the voices have become more strident. Sri Lankan official Chandra Schaffter, a former Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner in Madras Suhit Gautamadasa, eminent Indian historian S Muthiah and the president of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association AC Muthiah all evinced interest in the revival of the Gopalan Trophy match. Also playing a leading diplomatic role was the former Indian captain K Srikkanth.

All their efforts seem to have borne fruit for the first match in the series for more than 17 years is all set to be played in Colombo in September. An itinerary has been tentatively drawn up and the Tamil Nadu will play three one day games and a four day match for the Gopalan Trophy from September 21 to October 2. But the matches will be against the Colombo District Cricket Association team. While Tamil Nadu will field their full state side, Bandula Dissanayake, secretary of the CDCA has assured that the Colombo team will include five of six Sri Lanka Test cricketers. The youngsters, in particular, from both sides are bound to benefit from a fixture that has an international flavour and one hopes that the revival does come through and will be here to stay.