‘Little Master’ takes everything in stride after answering SOS from Yorkshire

A century at Old Trafford on debut during India’s-tour-of-England in 1990, had alerted the world to a bright new talent set to rock the cricketing-world.

But it was in Yorkshire where Sachin Tendulkar learned a great deal about playing in the bowler- friendly conditions of England, lessons which taught him well throughout his illustrious career.

In 1992 Yorkshire County Cricket Club was in the midst of change, following Geoffrey Boycott successful victory in the vote to allow Yorkshire to have an overseas player for the first time in their history. The Australian fast bowler Craig McDermott, the choice of then-captain Martyn Moxon, was selected and all set to make his debut on Good Friday.

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However, McDermott telephoned his new employers just four weeks before his scheduled arrival and pulled out with a groin injury, providing much amusement for the likes of Fred Trumen who had described Yorkshire’s decision to recruit an overseas player as a: “bloody disgrace”.

Undeterred by the setback the revolutionaries, led by Boycott, went to local businessman and well-known Bradford League player Solly Adam, who previously had helped Spen Victoria secure the services of fellow Indian Vinod Kambli, Tendulkar’s former school friend.

Asked to approach Tendulkar about the possibility of joining Yorkshire, Adam recalls Tendulkar not needing that much persuasion.

“He just wanted to play cricket, whatever level, whichever country, he lived and breathed for his cricket,” said Adam.

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With just a week’s thought, Tendulkar aged just 21, swapped the humid-frantic streets of Bombay (Mumbai), for the world of West Yorkshire.

Thrown into the war over whether it was right for Yorkshire to have an overseas player, Tendulkar was calmness personified.

“It just amazed me how he came over and handled the initial press conference like an old pro,” Moxon said when asked about his first meeting with their new star.

Despite averaging over 40 during his summer at Yorkshire, the team endured a disappointing season, finishing fourth-bottom in the Championship.

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However it was Tendulkar’s manner and personality which endeared him not only to his team-mates, but also the Yorkshire public.

More than 1,500 new members signed up during the summer of 1992. Mugs, t-shirts, posters and such like flew off the club shop’s shelves, as a diminutive figure from the sub-continent helped unite a county.

Staying in the house of Solly Adam in Dewsbury, Tendulkar would practice hour after hour, challenging all-comers to try and take his wicket.

“He would put 50p on off stump, and tell the bowler get me out and it’s yours,” recalls Adam. “He never left nets, out of pocket.”

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Not one for the limelight, Tendulkar asked the sponsors to kindly remove his name from the side of his new car, as he aimed to settle into Yorkshire life.

“It was all about cricket for Sachin, hour after hour he would practice, he would turn up for games throughout the county, playing in benefits and exhibitions, anywhere he could just to play cricket,” said Adam.

It was this dedication and sheer love of the game which has helped Tendulkar amass more than 15,000 Test runs, and more than 18,000 ODI runs, making him the one of the most successful cricketers in the history of the game.

Current Indian bowling coach Eric Simmons gave an insight into just how committed Tendulkar still is to the Indian cause, when saying: “Sachin is a tremendous professional, throughout this summer he has been constantly working on his technique.

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“He is also a great help to the younger members of the team, aiding and supporting them during the series.”

It was perhaps fitting that during the fourth Test at the Oval, and looking all set on 91 to notch up his century and finally reach the landmark of 100 international hundreds, it was Yorkshire’s very own Tim Bresnan who so cruelly denied the great man on his last Test match in England.

A toe injury which forced him out of Saturday’s first ODI will mean a spell with the specialist this week for Tendulkar, whose days in England this summer look numbered.

A winter tour of Australia and then three Tests against Pakistan should ensure Tendulkar completes his 100th century. But it would have been nice to have seen him achieve the milestone in England, but just as it was a Yorkshireman who brought Tendulkar to these shores, it was a Yorkshireman who sent him packing. But as Tendulkar said in 2002: “I will always remember my time here as one of the greatest I’ve spent in my life.” An adopted Yorkshireman he will always be.