Indian cricket team in England in 1974

The Indian cricket team toured England in the 1974 English domestic cricket season. After matches against many of county cricket and other minor teams, in April and May, the Indian team played three Test matches and two One-day International against the England cricket team. England won all five of the matches.

The season became known as the "Summer of 42", [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/35933.html] referring to the number of runs scored by India in its second innings in the Second Test at Lord's (also a reference to the film "Summer of '42" which won an Oscar in 1972; a follow-up, "Class of '44" had been released in 1973). This remains the lowest total for a completed innings in a Test match since New Zealand were dismissed for 26 in 1955. [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/TESTS/TEAM/LOWEST_INNS_SCORES.html] Blamed for his team's poor showing, Indian captain, Ajit Wadekar, retired from Test cricket after the tour. [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/35933.html]

Background

India could make a fair claim in the early 1970s to be the top Test-playing nation. In 1970-71, the team had beaten the West Indies in the Caribbean; in the English season that followed, 1971, the team had won its first-ever victory on English soil and with it the first series victory in Anglo-Indian Tests in England; and that victory was repeated, with a 2-1 margin, when MCC toured India in 1972-73.

The basis of India's success was the quartet of high-class spin bowlers – Chandrasekhar, Bedi, Prasanna and Venkataraghavan – backed up by world-class batting from Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Vishwanath. Ajit Wadekar was regarded as an astute captain, while Farokh Engineer was an extrovert wicketkeeper-batsman.

Test matches

In the First Test, played from 6 June to 11 June at Old Trafford, England won the toss and batted first, scoring 328-9 declared, with a century for Keith Fletcher (123). Indian opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar scored 101 in India's reply of 246 all out, assisted by 71 added down the batting order by Abid Ali. England reached 213-3 in their second innings, declaring with John Edrich on 100 not out. India were bowled out a second time for 182, and England won by 113 runs. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/34/34267.html]

In the Second Test, played from 21 June to 24 June at Lord's, England again won the toss and batted first, scoring a monumental 629 all out, with centuries for opening batsman Dennis Amiss (188), captain Mike Denness (118), and Tony Greig (106); in addition, John Edrich was out for 96. Indian spin bowler Bishen Bedi took six wickets, but conceded 226 runs in 64.2 overs. In reply, India scored 302 all out. Called to follow on, India were dismissed a second time for only 42, and England won by an innings and 285 runs inside 4 days. Chris Old took 5-21, to add to his 4-67 in the first innings, and Geoff Arnold took 4-19. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/34/34328.html]

In the Third Test, played from 3 July to 8 July at Edgbaston, India won the toss and batted first, scoring 165 all out. Wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer top scored with 64 not out. English reached 459 for 2 declared in reply, with David Lloyd scoring 214 not out, Mike Denness dismissed for exactly 100. India were bowled out for 216 in their second innings, and England won by an innings and 78 runs. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/34/34398.html]

ODI matches

England also won both ODIs, played over 55 overs. The First ODI was played on 13 July at Headingley. England won the toss and put India in to bat. India scored 265 all out, bowled out with 7 balls to bowl. England reached their victory target with 6 wickets down and 23 balls to spare. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/34/34450.html]

In the Second ODI, played on 16 July at the Oval, India won the toss and batted. They scored 171 all out in 47.3 overs. England reached their victory target with 4 wickets down and over 6 overs to spare. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/34/34459.html]

External sources

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/ENG/1974_ENG_India_in_England_1974.html Tour schedule] from CricketArchive
* [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1974/IND_IN_ENG/ Tour schedule] from Cricinfo

Annual reviews

* Playfair Cricket Annual 1975
* Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1975

Further reading

* Bill Frindall, "The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978", Wisden, 1979
* Ramachandra Guha, "A Corner of a Foreign Field - An Indian History of a British Sport", Picador, 2001