Message Board Archives
1962 - When Nari Contractor was felled by a Griffith delivery
Narper
2014-11-26 23:13:26
Contractor led India to a series win against England in 1961-62 and captained the side to West Indies the same season. There, in the match against Barbados, his attention was momentarily distracted as he faced Charlie Griffith:
"It was as Griffith was to deliver the fourth ball of his second over that somebody opened a window in the pavilion. There were no sight screen at that time and my 100 per cent concentration wasn’t on that delivery. I saw it just inches away before it hit me. But it isn’t true that I ducked."[1]
Contractor took a blow at the back of his skull[2] and was unconscious for six days, requiring a blood transfusion, for which West Indies captain Frank Worrell was the first to donate his blood.[3] Contractor's life was saved but his international career was abruptly ended as a result. In a recent interview, he mentioned as his only regret that he wanted play just one Test after the injury, but people did not want him to
link
Narper
2014-11-26 23:15:49
Below are excerpts from a recent interview with Nari Contractor:
Q. What did you hear about Charlie Griffith before the Indians vs Barbados game in which you suffered the head injury?
A. There was a cocktail party, which the West Indians call Sundowner, where Frank Worrell told us there was a bowler in the Barbados side called Charlie Griffith and he’s a chucker. And as we had so many injuries before the game, he suggested that it would be better to get out than getting hit. Frank said Griffith was crude and impolite. He cited an example of him hitting an 18-year-old batsman on the head and he didn’t even apologise to him, so Frank told us to take care. -
See more at:http://www.mid-day.com/articles/griffiths-delivery-hit-my-face-at-90-degrees-nari-contractor/15792194#sthash.KHhlnhq5.dpuf
Narper
2014-11-26 23:18:34
Q. Can you describe for us the particular Griffith over in which you got hit?
A. It was the third over of the innings. The first ball from Griffith went past my nose in a flash. ‘My God, this is something,’ I said to myself. I thought maybe some lethargy had set in after lunch, so I did some spot running. The second and third balls were the same. The fourth ball I played but Conrad Hunte fielding at short leg caught it on the half volley. Had he caught it, I would have been saved. Now when Griffith ran in to bowl the fifth ball, someone in the dressing room opened a window, which created a black square for me. I thought of moving away, but I decided to play the delivery and sort out that problem later.
Also, my partner Rusi Surti had earlier shouted from the other end, ‘skipper, he is chucking.’ I walked up to Rusi and said, ‘you don’t shout across the wicket like that. If you think he is chucking, tell the umpire.’ That was playing on my mind too. My concentration was not there because of all these thoughts.
Meanwhile, he bowled it and when I saw the ball, it was here (pointing to his face) and it hit me at 90 degrees. The ball fell on my leg and I sat down with the support of my bat, which is in a photograph in Griffith’s book. I did not duck into the bouncer as he writes.
Soon, I was bleeding from my nose and ears. I returned to the pavilion with the help of my manager Ghulam Ahmed (the former India off-spinner). I changed into a fresh set of clothes and the bleeding continued. I was rushed to hospital. They examined me and said there was a brain concussion. In 1962, a brain concussion meant that there were only 10 per cent chances of survival.
- See more at:http://www.mid-day.com/articles/griffiths-delivery-hit-my-face-at-90-degrees-nari-contractor/15792194#sthash.KHhlnhq5.dpuf
Narper
2014-11-26 23:20:29
Q. Did they tell you about the brain concussion?
A. I heard it. The doctor told Ghulam that he’d have to give me a sedative because I had suffered a brain concussion.
After that, I didn’t know what happened, but I was told that Dr Leacock had left instructions that he be called immediately if I vomited and if I lose movements in my limbs.
In the evening, Ghulam came to check on me and discovered I had vomited half a bucket and my left hand was not moving properly.
He admonished the staff and reminded them of Dr Leacock’s instructions. ‘Why haven’t you called Dr Leacock?’ he asked. The doctor was then called. Now, Dr Leacock was not a neurosurgeon, and while neurosurgeon Dr Ghourilal arrived from Trinidad, Dr Leacock kept me going the night by stopping the blood from flowing to the brain, which would have created a bigger clot. When Dr Ghourilal arrived, a two-hour operation was conducted -
See more at:http://www.mid-day.com/articles/griffiths-delivery-hit-my-face-at-90-degrees-nari-contractor/15792194#sthash.KHhlnhq5.dpuf
Narper
2014-11-26 23:23:05
But such was Nari that he was never bitter about it and blamed it on his own distraction. Instead, at times, he used his injury to spread laughter.
Once on our way to Delhi in 1990, he decided to play a prank on the airport security. While the guard frisked him, he purposely bowed so that the metal detector touched his head. The instrument beeped. The security guard was confused. He again touched his head with the detector. It beeped again.
A senior police officer was called. By that time suspicion and fear had mounted among the officers and even passengers in the queue. As many would know, a metal plate was inserted into his head during that life-saving operation and that is what was causing the beep.
link
Narper
2014-11-26 23:26:21
INTERVIEW/CHARLIE GRIFFITH
'Fast bowling is a hard job'
VIJAY LOKAPALLY
FOR forty years now, he has regretted that incident. He has had to narrate the happening countless times, but his eyes reflect his painful feelings as he recalls those dreadful moments when Nari Contractor battled for life after being hit by a bouncer. He feels remorse for that unfortunate incident which almost killed a batsman on the pitch. Charlie Griffith, author of that devastating delivery, would never like to bowl that ball if he was to bowl ever again.
On the 1961-62 tour to the West Indies, the Indian camp was rattled by this fast bowler. He was a feared bowler in his time and the Indians were given advance information of his ability to bowl nasty bouncers even on flat tracks. A remarkable reputation for someone who began as a spinner before deciding to bowl fast.
V.V.KRISHNAN
At six feet two inches, Griffith, a strongly built fast bowler, could extract disconcerting bounce from the pitch. His chest on action was often viewed with suspicion but Griffith was a great character that the game was privileged to have. His action often terrorised batsmen who were too happy to cross over to the other end at the first opportunity. Griffith was a bowler who really put fear in the minds of even accomplished batsmen.
In the match at Barbados, where he felled Contractor, Griffith was called for 'throwing.' He was called again four years later in a first-class match in England. Griffith earned a bad reputation for his aggression against the batsmen and lost his pace and rhythm when his action repeatedly became a point of discussion.
link
Narper
2014-11-27 00:13:52
Breaking news - Phil Hughes dies.
Nari and many others are lucky to still be alive...including our own Phil Simmons, Sarwan, Lara and Shiv
Narper
2014-11-27 00:28:06
Obviously the Nari Contractor's incident is the genesis of fear of WI fast bowling by Injun batsmen
gvenkat
2014-11-27 00:30:48
In reply to Narper
genesis of fear of WI fast bowling by Injun batsmen
You really think this is the time to talk about fear? When a player has passed away?
Narper
2014-11-27 00:35:48
In reply to gvenkat
YES
This is real shit...every single batman may be thinking this at this time
Contractor almost died
BTW I started this thread before the news of Hughes passing
natty_forever
2014-11-27 07:10:07
In reply to Narper... that's who I am named after.
hubert
2014-11-27 08:53:38
In reply to Narper
And Jackie Hendriks He like Contractor was felled at Kensington Oval vs Australia 1965.
I did not realize at the time that Contractor was in such critical state.
from reports I just read, Hughes' hit was a freak accident and very uncommon.
God Bless His soul.
