About Ranga Plays Australia

Ranga Plays Australia

It’s only four years after the end of World War 2, during which there were no great cricket matches. But now things are getting back to normal: the Australians have thrashed the Poms in England, India has played its first Test series in Australia, and ‘the Don’ has retired.
In a small Bangalore village young 12 year old? Ranganathan Rao is musing about life in general and cricket in particular. The weather’s been hot and dry for ever – everyone’s eyes are skywards, looking for the monsoon. Except for Ranga’s, whose spinning fingers begin to itch.
Kumar, Ranga’s English/Geography/History teacher, as part of a discourse on the strangeness of the English language, introduces his pupils to an especially strange word - that he heard an Australian say during the war – and invites them to try to pronounce it and identify its meaning. After many unsuccessful attempts Kumar reveals both the word’s pronunciation and meaning, and suggests that everyone might remember this, as one day they might go to Australia.
This starts Ranga thinking.
As children tend to do, in their naivety, Ranga mentioned this strange Australian word to his grandmother, who thinks he should become a doctor and forget about cricket. He then visits , before visiting his ancient Punjabi friend, Harkishen Singh, for his advice,. where (bit convoluted) Tthe ensuing conversation embraces the origins of cricket – the Greeks, not the English – and the dispensation of veryarious pieces of wisdom.
Although Ranga doesn’t normally understand Harkishen’s wisdom, it does encourage him, to the extent that he blurts his idea ?it out in class the next day. Much to his surprise, everybody thinks likes it a good idea. But, then, it was a cricket idea! What is the idea??
Building on this, he decides to talk to his father, who then decides that he should bring others into the conversation – the village headman, a businessman, and the teacher. All of these, for various reasons, think Ranga’s idea is a good one, although embroidered with several problems, not all peculiar to an Indian village boy’s environment or upbringing. The upshot of this uncertainty-shrouded agreement is that advice should be sought from a respected English Brigadier, who just happens to be the President of the Bangalore Club.
Brigadier Hill immediately sees all the problems – and a few new ones – as well as the solutions to these, which he sets in train (via, of course, delegation).
Brigadier Hill immediately sees all the problems – and a few new ones – as well as the solutions to these, which he sets in train (via, of course, delegation). Sorry this stays and perhaps joined to next para
Amazingly, and without fuss – the British way! – the youthful team is selected from all over India. Ranga is feted from his village to Bangalore station and the train to Bombay. He’s more than a little surprised, and more than a little tongue-tied, to find that two girls from his village – whom he admires greatly – are in the team, which is a distraction on the long journey to the port, not to mention on the ship and in Australia.
Bombay has a number of other surprises for Ranga, including meeting an All India Radio star and cricket fanatic, lunch at the famed Taj Mahal Hotel, a walk around the Gateway to India, and meeting the other members of the team.
The biggest surprise, however, was at the docks, when they looked up at the Strathnaver, the ship that was to take them to Australia.
From Ranga’s point of view much of the journey to Fremantle was a blur, the principal highlights being the stop-over at Colombo and a ship’s officer’s attempt to blow up a floating mine with his rifle.
Perth gave who??some of the grown-ups the opportunity for some awful puns about kangaroo paws, as a presage to probably the greatest event of Ranga’s life, past, present, and future, when he met the greatest man alive, in Adelaide.
Finally they arrived in Melbourne, their almost-destination, where they had a sumptuous feast organised by Kumar’s ‘cousin’ – who owned the only Indian restaurant, followed by a visit to the world centre of Test cricket (at least in Melbournians’ view).
Then by train, excitement mounting, to Niamong, a dusty town in the middle of a red dusty part of Australia, where the Great Match was to be played. Review these three paras eg what restaurant? Perhaps combine? More punch!!!! They have arrived!!!
Niamong is not the usual sleepy hollow, and quite a number of unusual things happen before the Game, all of which Ranga would remember for ever, and perhaps even longer.
The game itself was played in great spirit, but also considerable puzzlement and, to this day, it’s possible that there are still people alive who were present at the game but who are unsure – actually ignorant – of the result. However, in the best traditions of the game, this doesn’t seem to matter. Many lessons were undoubtedly learnt, many friendships were undoubtedly made, and various sets of beautiful blue eyes embedded themselves in several brains, not to mention the brown eyes.
And, of course, Harkishen Singh has the final last word, somehow. Apart from the train...

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