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Drive it Like Dravid
This is a report of an Interview with Gunnersbury's' Former Indian International Cricketer - Chander Kaul
The rain was tipping down as the slight figure of one of the most explosive bats in the country emerged from her front door. For a small lady, Chander certainly packs a punch. Her placement and power are something to behold whilst the timing and technique are pure textbook. Seven months pregnant and blooming, she looks every inch a young lady about town. A big smile and the chatter begins. Forget ‘Bend it Like Beckham’, there’s no fantasy in this story, (poetic license maybe). Chander played her first domestic game in England back in April 2001, opening the batting against Cambridge Ladies. It wasn’t the best start - a third ball duck, still it meant that she could continue her conversation with Radhi. Damp English wickets early in the season aren’t to her liking - she prefers the ball coming onto the bat at pace, as the opposition at Cambridge that year will testify, when she plundered 250 in four innings. Sitting opposite me in the restaurant, Chander takes great delight in translating the menu for us, explaining what each dish involves. It’s a far cry from 18 months ago, and shows how far she’s come and just how determined she is. Sag with maki de roti is the preferred dish (spinach and sweet corn chapatti, for the uninitiated), but failing that, mixed veg chapatti and matar paneer will do. Over the course of dinner, I learn a little of what makes the former Indian captain tick. ‘My coach used to tell me that setting a good example is important - training should be taken as seriously as the actual game itself. I try to always give 100% in practice so that it comes naturally in a match.’ It certainly makes sense, and I wonder how many of us who take the effort to get to winter training think about what we’re doing and why to the same extent. When asked who (and why) she admires most in cricket, the answer perhaps not unsurprisingly, is Sachin. ‘He is always concentrating and pushing himself. If you want to succeed, you must be prepared to work very hard, and he does.’
‘I have always wanted to get to the top, and playing cricket the top is to Captain your country. That has to be the highlight of my career (so far Chander, so far).’ Always ambitious, representing Middlesex at the County Championships in 2001, and scoring her maiden domestic 100 against Redoubtables in the League for Gunnersbury in 2002, rank along side her English highlights. She was also in the Super Fours in 2002, and the indications were that it would be a high scoring year.
However another ambition put paid to that, that of motherhood. Chander is proving to be as determined about her pregnancy - she knows exactly what she wants for herself and her baby and is well read on all the finer details. ‘In England you are free - it doesn’t matter if it is a boy or a girl. I just want a healthy baby.’ Until her maternity leave, she’s carrying on working at Richmond Park, ‘I like it when it’s busy, the time goes much quicker. When the weather is bad people don’t visit, so winter can be quite boring.’ She enjoys her work and finds English people ‘loving people’ (although her mother in law fails to get into that group), which is nice to hear. Richmond Park is a long way removed from her days spent working for the railway back in India. ‘I used to do very little - we would practise all day, every day, it was great.’ Sounds it.
Her love of English, hasn’t yet extended to music ‘I like bangra, it’s happy music’. I must agree, it certainly is toe tapping, especially when the drums kick in. I am reminded of a conversation last year when Chander saw her first game of bowls. She asked Coral what it was, and was told that that’s what people do in England when they are too old to run around a cricket pitch. Looking at and listening to Chander, it’s easy to forget the big culture shock she’s experienced since her arrival here. She is a real modern girl now.
Having been lucky enough to see Australia, New Zealand and England, whilst touring, Chander’s next destination will be ‘America - it’s so big, and I’ve heard so much about it, I’d love to go there’. First though, she wants to pass her driving test, so that she’ll be fully independent. Although with a baby on the way, those plans have taken a back seat for a while, much to husband Naresh’s delight. ‘He’s really looking forward to the baby and being a father.’ Almost on cue, her phone rings and Naresh is telling her he loves her (quickly following on and asking when she’ll be home and will she make him some food - men!). Chander laughs and agrees with me. I ask what she does when not working ‘shopping, house work the usual stuff. I also play badminton, well did’, beckoning to her bump. That’s something she has in common with a number of other Gunns girls, so we get round to discussing her team mate’s. ‘Stockie is a nice girl and a good player. She’s a great team member’. I ask about Radhi and Beth ‘Radhi is too busy - always rushing around. She needs to concentrate on her cricket if she is to reach her potential and not worry so much about Neil’s GCSE’s. Beth is another good player, but a little loud!!’ I can’t help feeling she’s picked up that good old-fashioned English trait of taking the mick. We move onto Coral, and Chander laughs ‘She enjoys her game and is very competitive. A strong player.’ And Cathy? Again a laugh ‘What can I say? She has lots of experience, but needs to practise what she preaches. She keeps you all in line but always gives her best.’ ‘Moebs is another competitive player, she makes me laugh when she has her little hat throwing tantrums, but she sets herself high standards and expects them from others.’ I feel confident enough to offer my name up for comment, but the five minutes of laughter that follow are enough for me to quickly retract it - thanks team mates!
The waiter asks if we want desert but they don’t have what Chander wants, so she settles for a cappacino. It’s getting late and she has an early start. It’s been an enjoyable evening. Fittingly, Chander sites ‘The Mummy Returns’ as her favourite film, and I for one would be over the moon if the mummy did return to grace Argyle Road and send shivers down the spines of opposition bowlers. The entrance fee is definitely worth paying when she’s in full flow.
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A Little Bird Told Me
A Day in the Life of a player...
Mrs Estral marched into the bedroom, and opened the curtains with a gusto not seen since the night of the BBQ. The bright sunlight that came rushing in, had the desired effect. ‘Mum!’ It was 10.00am, on a glorious Saturday morning, and whilst not quite full of the joys of spring, Kay was at least awake. The cup of coffee that Mrs Estral had left beside her bed, soon made Kay forgive her mum for spoiling her dream - she was just about to hit England’s Lucy Pearson straight back over her head for 6, taking Kay to an unbeaten 92, and steering the Kestrals to victory over the much stronger, Premier League opposition, and into the final of the National Knockout Cup.
It was a perfect morning for cricket - Kay’s bedroom was bathed in golden sunlight, it was warm and the birds were singing. It was just a shame that it was December. ‘Hmm, typical.’ thought Kay, ‘Why can’t it be like this in April and May?’. She looked at her County bat, standing in the corner ‘It’ll be nets soon, sweetie, don’t worry’. A busy weekend beckoned - hockey match this afternoon; dash home shower, grab some clothes and provisions, before setting off to Elisha’s for her sleep over. ‘Fat chance of that - they should be renamed ‘no sleepover’s’, she thought as, try as she might, Kay couldn’t quite manage to remember just where she had left her hockey bag. Sunday would see her turning out for the Cavaliers, her football team before sitting down to complete a piece of Business Studies coursework, that was due in a week ago.
‘Sky’s great, I believe - it doesn’t get much better than this’ thought Kay, as she tucked into a slap up breckie - sausages, bacon, eggs, mushrooms - the works. Good job she was intending to do a lot of running this afternoon. Mr Estral’s shout of adulation saw her run into the living room, just in time to see Hayden raise his bat in recognition of becoming the highest ever individual run scorer in the history of the first class game. OK, so it was Zimbabwe but you’ve still got to hit the ball and concentrate for a long time. ‘Soon, one day soon, I’ll raise my bat at Argyle Road, just like him’, thought Kay…..
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An English Summer
Many years ago, I set off for a land down under, with the intention of playing a bit of cricket, living the life in Sydney and seeing some of that great land. I was the exception, rather than the rule, although in men’s cricket, it had been happening for years. I am now pleased to see that it is becoming increasingly more common in the women’s game.
I was fortunate enough to have a contact in Sydney, who went on to represent Australia and has spent the last two seasons plying her trade over here again. This season we have had our very own ‘import’ to deal with. Whilst most 16 year olds gaze admiringly at posters of their hero’s on bedroom walls, sneak out for an illict beer or two without mum knowing and want to spend more of the day laying in bed than doing anything remotely active, our Kimbo was a complete revelation. A few days before she was due to leave these shores, I caught up with her and asked a few questions about her time in our ‘pastures green’.
My first impression of Kim ‘Kimbo/Kiwi’ Fraser was that of a freezing youngster, who had spent almost two hours struggling with the London underground, to get to winter nets. I was batting as she came in to bowl her first ball - I’d been told that she was a leggie, was something of a hot shot back home who could turn the ball miles - she had the action but the ball went straight on. Nothing happened for about 15 minutes, until as my time was almost up, I began to notice a slight spring in her step. Sure enough there was a fizz in the air as the ball pitched on my leg stump and went sailing past my off stump with inches to spare. Dodgy mat - that’s got to be the reason. It wasn’t. I can’t remember the last time I played and missed so many in such quick succession. It wasn’t until I came out that I was told that her hands had been so cold when she’d arrived, that it was as much as she could do to feel the ball, let alone grip it with intent, that I realised how lucky I was to have finished batting! During her time with us, Kim became an expert on the tube/bus network - Ken Livingstone couldn’t do worse than ask her to advertise it - as, along with her mum Trish, she became an instant hit.
So, on to the questions:
Best wicket Getting someone with a googly - doesn’t matter who they are, they look silly!
Best catch Prowling the in the covers, down at Sommerset Wanderer’s, defending 149, with Katherine Wilkinson looking well set. Coral Handley decided that the best form of attack is a rank half volley outside the off stump. Sure enough, Reggie creamed it but not before I dived full stretch, rolled and held onto it. Just like catching sheep at shearing time.
Best shot Easy. Dukesmead 6’s, Portsmouth quickie comes steaming in for the last over. She’d been mouthing off all game. A couple of steps down the track and the ball disappeared not just over her head, but over the sight screen 50 metres away. The girls went berserk on the sidelines.
Best game I played in a few tight games, but one I particulary enjoyed was the Somerset game - not only did I take the catch, but I topped scored with 35 not out, despite some very dodgy decisions, and bowled well. A real all round performance.
Hero Two spring to mind - Cathy ‘AC’ Mowat. I take my hat off to some one who can be that old, that keen and enthusiastic and that mad. Also Hayley Shepperd. She has taught me a lot about English cricket - what to drink and when being two important lessons.
Misfields My most embarrassing moment was playing Shepperton, Again I was in the covers, and as I ran to cut the ball off, I did my trade mark slide. However I misjudged everything, and could only look on, helplessly as I slid past the ball, which disappeared behind me for 4. I think Hayley might have had something to do with that. ( See above - lesson not quite learnt perhaps?)
My most annoying misfield again involved Somerset Wanderers. We were playing them at home, and I was bowling. My field was set and Laura Harper was trying to hit everything through the leg side. Sue Donaldson - a legend in her own lunchtime when it comes to diving and taking stunning catches, was at square leg. How could anything go wrong? Easily. For sharp read sieve like fielding - 4 balls went straight through her for 4, all in the same over!!. At first I was really angry, but then I realised that Sue wasn’t enjoying it at all - that’s what I like about Gunns, things might not always work out for the best, but everyone try’s their best. I think it made me a better bowler - I wasn’t bowling badly, but the luck wasn’t going for me in the field. Sometimes that happens - that’s cricket.
Hobbies I’ve really got into photography - spent a couple of days at the Oval, as well as following the England girls around, taking snaps. I got a classic of the stumps in pieces for Beth Morgan’s first senior wicket for England. I enjoy socialising and meeting new people - not much chance of that back home, as I know all 12 in my village. I’ve also discovered that ancient art of imbibing since I’ve arrived here. Oh, and reading the broadsheets - not those trashy tabloids that the other girls read, I’m an educated chick.
Nights out Any that have involved the Gunns girls. Probably my most enjoyable (but this one’s not over yet, Kimbo) one has to be the last night in Cambridge, after the County Championships. It was wild - Dando, Beth, Hayley myself and Ranjit (Middlesex coach), stayed on and went out painting the tiles. We tried to persuade Keely and Sue, to stay, but they said they were too old!! All the teams had people there, drinking, chatting, celebrating promotion, drowning sorrows etc. All the best people were there.
What have you learnt How to drink. Thanks Hayley. How to insult Aussies. Thanks Snapper and Tan. How to deal with a team full of whinging Poms. Thanks Gunns. (Steady Kiwi!)
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