Those of us who have lived in the area for a long time will not have forgotten June 18th 1983 when Zimbabwe played India at a one day match at the Nevill.
India, who at the time had a poor reputation as an international cricket nation had scored nine runs for four wickets at a one day match and looked like they were heading for a disastrous defeat. Kapil Dev who was then only 24 came on to bat. He scored 175 runs, not out, including sixteen 4’s and six 6’s. One of his shots went over the pavilion and into a garden in Nevill Gate. It was an extraordinary performance.
Two years ago a Hindi film entitled “83” was released to celebrate the event and it is available on Netflix. It is a very long film at two hours and forty minutes but there is an interesting story and fortunately it is subtitled as my Hindi is not up to much. About 60% of the way through the film is quite a long segment filmed at the Nevill with some unusual colouring of the wonderful rhododendrons to make it appear to be June.
I recommend members of WPARA check out the film on Netflix.
We are so fortunate to have in our area the wonderful cricket club with the thriving junior membership and it is good to see the club is currently investing in doing up the club house. It would be amazing if cricket week could be reactivated but even if it is I think it is unlikely that we will ever see a 24 year old score 175 not out in a one day match
