My kingdom for a bat
Kings, nawabs and other royals who played cricket
Steven Lynch
03-Oct-2011
Ranji in his royal kit • PA Photos
The Nawab of Pataudi Jr
Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who sadly died last month, was widely credited with being the man who united an Indian dressing room that had often been divided and dysfunctional before he came along. Pataudi overcame the handicap of effectively losing an eye in a car accident to score a Test double-century. He followed his father, the eighth Nawab, as a Test cricketer (he had played for England in the Bodyline series and captained India after the Second World War). Pataudi Jr was famous among his team-mates for never being able to assemble all his kit in one place at the same time: he would often grab the bat nearest the dressing room door on his way to the crease. Ian Chappell remembers pressing Pataudi for details of what he did when not playing cricket, eventually receiving the reply, "Ian, I'm a bloody prince!"
Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who sadly died last month, was widely credited with being the man who united an Indian dressing room that had often been divided and dysfunctional before he came along. Pataudi overcame the handicap of effectively losing an eye in a car accident to score a Test double-century. He followed his father, the eighth Nawab, as a Test cricketer (he had played for England in the Bodyline series and captained India after the Second World War). Pataudi Jr was famous among his team-mates for never being able to assemble all his kit in one place at the same time: he would often grab the bat nearest the dressing room door on his way to the crease. Ian Chappell remembers pressing Pataudi for details of what he did when not playing cricket, eventually receiving the reply, "Ian, I'm a bloody prince!"
Ranji
Probably the most famous cricketing prince of them all, KS Ranjitsinhji's name is immortalised in the Ranji Trophy, although actually he never played first-class cricket in India. Instead he played for England, scoring a century on debut against Australia in 1896, and inventing, or at least refining, the leg-glance, which he played with deft wristwork - those wrists usually being encased in a billowing silk shirt. There was some doubt about Ranji's claim to his princely throne, but he eventually succeeded as the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar in 1907. His nephew, KS Duleepsinhji, also represented England in Tests, while two other descendants - KS Indrajitsinhji and Ajay Jadeja - played for India.
Probably the most famous cricketing prince of them all, KS Ranjitsinhji's name is immortalised in the Ranji Trophy, although actually he never played first-class cricket in India. Instead he played for England, scoring a century on debut against Australia in 1896, and inventing, or at least refining, the leg-glance, which he played with deft wristwork - those wrists usually being encased in a billowing silk shirt. There was some doubt about Ranji's claim to his princely throne, but he eventually succeeded as the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar in 1907. His nephew, KS Duleepsinhji, also represented England in Tests, while two other descendants - KS Indrajitsinhji and Ajay Jadeja - played for India.
Prince Christian Victor
The only member of the British royal family to play first-class cricket, Prince Christian Victor Albert Ludwig Ernst Anton of Schleswig-Holstein, a grandson of Queen Victoria, appeared for I Zingari against the Gentlemen of England (captained by WG Grace) in Scarborough in August 1887. He scored 35 in the first innings, but made a duck in the second. Prince Christian Victor died of enteric fever during the Boer War in South Africa in October 1900, aged only 33.
The only member of the British royal family to play first-class cricket, Prince Christian Victor Albert Ludwig Ernst Anton of Schleswig-Holstein, a grandson of Queen Victoria, appeared for I Zingari against the Gentlemen of England (captained by WG Grace) in Scarborough in August 1887. He scored 35 in the first innings, but made a duck in the second. Prince Christian Victor died of enteric fever during the Boer War in South Africa in October 1900, aged only 33.
Brian Lara
He might not be of noble blood, but Brian Lara's batting usually justified his nickname of "Prince". That extravagant back-swing and the resultant full-bladed shots - especially a cover-drive to die for - will be forever imprinted on anyone lucky enough to have seen them. Or, if you had to bowl at him or field to him - and Graham Thorpe foot-slogged through both Lara's 375 in 1993-94 and his 400 not out 10 years later - they perhaps form the basis of nightmares...
He might not be of noble blood, but Brian Lara's batting usually justified his nickname of "Prince". That extravagant back-swing and the resultant full-bladed shots - especially a cover-drive to die for - will be forever imprinted on anyone lucky enough to have seen them. Or, if you had to bowl at him or field to him - and Graham Thorpe foot-slogged through both Lara's 375 in 1993-94 and his 400 not out 10 years later - they perhaps form the basis of nightmares...
Yajurvindra Singh
Yajurvindra Singh, from the royal house of Bilkha in Gujarat, enlivened the first of his four Tests, against England in Bangalore in 1976-77, by taking five catches in an innings and seven in the match, equalling the Test records for an outfielder at the time (both still stand). Most of them were snapped up at short leg, and all but one came off those great spinners Prasanna and Chandrasekhar. And, according to one disgruntled England player, "some of them even touched the bat".
Yajurvindra Singh, from the royal house of Bilkha in Gujarat, enlivened the first of his four Tests, against England in Bangalore in 1976-77, by taking five catches in an innings and seven in the match, equalling the Test records for an outfielder at the time (both still stand). Most of them were snapped up at short leg, and all but one came off those great spinners Prasanna and Chandrasekhar. And, according to one disgruntled England player, "some of them even touched the bat".
MP Bajana
Manek Pallon Bajana toured England with the All-India team in 1911, and scored 108 against Somerset in Taunton. Prior to the trip he had been employed by the Maharajah of Cooch Behar, but he stayed on after the tour, and Somerset snapped him up: he played more than 50 first-class matches for them, scoring two centuries in 1920, which turned out to be his final season. There was already a link between Cooch Behar and Somerset, as KH Narayan, the Maharajah's son, played a few matches for them in 1909 and 1910. Narayan and Bajana were known to the Taunton faithful as "Prince" and "Pyjamas".
Manek Pallon Bajana toured England with the All-India team in 1911, and scored 108 against Somerset in Taunton. Prior to the trip he had been employed by the Maharajah of Cooch Behar, but he stayed on after the tour, and Somerset snapped him up: he played more than 50 first-class matches for them, scoring two centuries in 1920, which turned out to be his final season. There was already a link between Cooch Behar and Somerset, as KH Narayan, the Maharajah's son, played a few matches for them in 1909 and 1910. Narayan and Bajana were known to the Taunton faithful as "Prince" and "Pyjamas".
Hanumant Singh
An elegant right-hander, Hanumant made a century on Test debut against England in Delhi in 1963-64. He was the son of the ruler of Banswara, in Rajasthan. For a while in that debut Test - and in many of his other 13 - Hanumant, the Maharajkumar of Banswara, batted alongside his captain, the Nawab of Pataudi. "He was a damn good batsman off the back foot," remembered another team-mate, Ajit Wadekar. "It is very rare to find someone in India who is good off the back foot."
An elegant right-hander, Hanumant made a century on Test debut against England in Delhi in 1963-64. He was the son of the ruler of Banswara, in Rajasthan. For a while in that debut Test - and in many of his other 13 - Hanumant, the Maharajkumar of Banswara, batted alongside his captain, the Nawab of Pataudi. "He was a damn good batsman off the back foot," remembered another team-mate, Ajit Wadekar. "It is very rare to find someone in India who is good off the back foot."
King George VI
Not quite a first-class cricketer, but George VI managed one of the most illustrious hat-tricks of all time, as Wisden 1953 revealed: "When Prince Albert, he performed the hat-trick on the private ground on the slopes below Windsor Castle, where the sons and grandsons of Edward VII used to play regularly. A left-handed batsman and bowler, the King bowled King Edward VII, King George V and the present Duke of Windsor in three consecutive balls, thus proving himself the best Royal cricketer since Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1751, took a keen interest in the game."
Not quite a first-class cricketer, but George VI managed one of the most illustrious hat-tricks of all time, as Wisden 1953 revealed: "When Prince Albert, he performed the hat-trick on the private ground on the slopes below Windsor Castle, where the sons and grandsons of Edward VII used to play regularly. A left-handed batsman and bowler, the King bowled King Edward VII, King George V and the present Duke of Windsor in three consecutive balls, thus proving himself the best Royal cricketer since Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1751, took a keen interest in the game."
Maharajah of Porbandar
Protocol demanded that the captain on India's first Test tour of England should be a prince, and after much behind-the-scenes politicking the job went to the Maharajah of Porbandar. The only trouble was that he wasn't much of a cricketer. Luckily he himself was aware of this and turned out in only four of the tourists' 30-odd first-class matches in England, even standing down from the solitary Test, India's first (when CK Nayudu captained). Famously, during the tour the Maharajah acquired more Rolls Royces than runs (two).
Protocol demanded that the captain on India's first Test tour of England should be a prince, and after much behind-the-scenes politicking the job went to the Maharajah of Porbandar. The only trouble was that he wasn't much of a cricketer. Luckily he himself was aware of this and turned out in only four of the tourists' 30-odd first-class matches in England, even standing down from the solitary Test, India's first (when CK Nayudu captained). Famously, during the tour the Maharajah acquired more Rolls Royces than runs (two).
Prince Andrew
The current Duke of York was a decent cricketer in his youth, topping the bowling averages for his school, Gordonstoun, in 1979, with 11 wickets for 50, a rather remarkable average of 4.34. He was also second in the batting (212 runs at 23.55), although the following year's Wisdendoes admit that the Scottish school "had an average team and report a difficulty in obtaining good school fixtures. The batting proved adequate but the bowling lacked penetration." Prince Andrew's father, the Duke of Edinburgh, was a handy offspinner himself, and was the only man to be president of MCC twice in the 20th century.
The current Duke of York was a decent cricketer in his youth, topping the bowling averages for his school, Gordonstoun, in 1979, with 11 wickets for 50, a rather remarkable average of 4.34. He was also second in the batting (212 runs at 23.55), although the following year's Wisdendoes admit that the Scottish school "had an average team and report a difficulty in obtaining good school fixtures. The batting proved adequate but the bowling lacked penetration." Prince Andrew's father, the Duke of Edinburgh, was a handy offspinner himself, and was the only man to be president of MCC twice in the 20th century.
Maharajah of Vizianagram
As on their first tour four years previously, the 1936 Indians were captained by a prince, the rather portly and bespectacled Maharajkumar of Vizianagram. Unlike his predecessor Porbandar, though, Vizzy had no intention of missing the Test matches, and played in all three, scoring 33 runs in his six innings, all but one of them from No. 9. It wasn't a happy touring party: Lala Amarnath, the leading allrounder, was sent home by Vizianagram for alleged insubordination, while Baqa Jilani was apparently included in the Test side after pleasing the captain by insulting star player CK Nayudu at the breakfast table. Notwithstanding all this, Vizzy was given a knighthood during the Tests, the only other player before Richard Hadlee in 1990 to be so ennobled during a series he was playing in.
As on their first tour four years previously, the 1936 Indians were captained by a prince, the rather portly and bespectacled Maharajkumar of Vizianagram. Unlike his predecessor Porbandar, though, Vizzy had no intention of missing the Test matches, and played in all three, scoring 33 runs in his six innings, all but one of them from No. 9. It wasn't a happy touring party: Lala Amarnath, the leading allrounder, was sent home by Vizianagram for alleged insubordination, while Baqa Jilani was apparently included in the Test side after pleasing the captain by insulting star player CK Nayudu at the breakfast table. Notwithstanding all this, Vizzy was given a knighthood during the Tests, the only other player before Richard Hadlee in 1990 to be so ennobled during a series he was playing in.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2011.