India’s first boundary-hitter Sudhir Naik recalls ODI No.1

Sudhir Naik on the 1974 tour of England. Pic/Getty Images

Fours and sixes have always been at the heart of one-day international cricket's entertainment value.

The first four by an Indian in an ODI was hit by Sudhir Naik, the first six by his Mumbai teammate, Sunil Gavaskar. That was in the first of India's 999 ODIs - against England at Leeds - in 1974.

Ahmedabad will host India's 1,000th ODI on Sunday, when the hosts play the West Indies in the first of the three ODIs. "I'm proud to have hit India's first boundary in ODI cricket. I hit Geoff Arnold through extra cover while opening the batting with Sunil [Gavaskar, who scored 28]. I thought we did well to put on 44 runs," Naik told Sunday mid-day.

‘No field restrictions'

India posted 265 in 53.5 overs in a 55 overs-a-side game with other contributions from skipper Ajit Wadekar (67) and Brijesh Patel (82). England got to the target in 51.1 overs with four wickets to spare. "We had no great experience of limited overs cricket although players from Mumbai had played the Talim Shield. It was a green top at Leeds and we were put in by Mike Denness," Naik recalled of that cold July 13.

"There were no field restrictions, no short boundaries. I remember as soon as I hit that boundary off Arnold, the field was spread out.

"We didn't know then that it is important to keep wickets in hand and attack the bowling towards the end. We learnt along the way. There was gloom in the camp, caused by our 0-3 loss in the Test series, but it was an enjoyable day," added Naik who scored 18 off 29 balls.

England superior

Naik believed 265 was a match-winning total, but the English batsmen were superior on the day. John Edrich slammed 90 off 97 balls to claim the man-of-the-match award. Eknath Solkar and Bishan Singh Bedi captured four of the six wickets to fall while S Madan Lal and S Venkataraghavan claimed one apiece.

Writing for The Cricketer magazine, Yorkshire legend Bill Bowes paid the tourists a handsome tribute: "Had they possessed a bowling attack or defence geared to this type of cricket they must have been handsome winners.

"They gave 8,000 spectators a day to be remembered, earned round after round of applause by their enthusiastic efforts and very sportingly fielded in almost torrential rain while England scored the last 20 runs for victory."