It’s been quite some time since I updated my blog, I started writing about Damien Martyn when he retired but then all I just couldn’t egg myself on to finish it. Martyn was a class apart; he alone seemed to possess that extra bit of time when others around him struggled. But this tribute is for some one who is closer to heart, whose career I have followed for over a decade. Sridharan Sharath played his last innings for Tamilnadu today. It wasn’t one to remember but TN at least managed to squeeze home and avoid relegation.
Sharath will probably go down as one of the best players never to have played for the country. I have always been a keen follower of local cricket more than international matches. Most of us would have read about Lance Armstrong’s fight against cancer, but few know about how Sharath battled back after a serious scooter accident. He looked ungainly, was never a purist’s delight but when the score card read 4 down for nothing there was no reassuring sight than to watch Sharath walking out of the dressing room. There used to be a time when the start of the first division season used to be associated with a spate of Sharath tons. Year after year he would score heavily waiting for the elusive chance that never came his way. But even after he knew that his time was up the hunger didn’t die. He continued scoring tons of runs for Vijay C C. I remember Sharath scoring three consecutive boundaries of Fanie de Villiers, hope surged, I prayed silently but then God is sometimes cruel. He missed one playing across the line and the dreaded finger went up. His dreams destroyed, Sharath walked and I cursed the umpire for the rest of the day. There are some innings from Sharath which stand out the most notable among them being an effort at Tirunelveli when TN edged out Mumbai in the Ranji quarterfinals. He was one of the few natural hookers and pullers I have seen in domestic cricket. He never flinched against genuine pace. I still remember a match against Pakistan A where Sharath playing for India A and running fever played a blinder to take his team home. The Pakistanis had among their ranks a tear away quickie by the name of Mohammad Zahid who later on in the year troubled even Brian Lara in Australia.
I went on the last day of TN’s encounter against Baroda. TN needed to win this one to avoid relegation. The second innings target was 123, from a comfortable 77/2 they slipped to 83/5. In came Sharath, he was playing his last innings for his beloved state. I prayed to God once more, at least give him a fitting farewell. Yousuf Pathan was turning the ball square on a dirt track, Sharath looked assured. He patted away vicious turners with nonchalance. Then one spit from a good length, he took his bottom hand off, the Ajit Bhoite and Jacob Martin appealed half heartedly. The ball had come of the pads, but God once again let me down, the finger went up. Sharath looked stunned. This wasn’t the end he deserved, but the team successfully managed to chase the target down. At least he didn’t have to go out with a heavy heart of letting the team down. After the match was over all the players converged around him to thank him for the valuable tips he had passed down to the youngsters.
It will be different next year, TN will be four down for next to nothing, but there will be no Sharath walking out. The few faithful mama’s from Triplicane who come to watch the domestic cricket will miss the reassuring presence of Sridharan Sharath. A veteran scorer at TNCA - Shankara Subramanium - once christened a spot in the old press box at the Chidamabaram Stadium as 'Sharath's corner'. He'd insisted on sitting there and scoring when Sharath walked in, convinced that his shift played a role in Sharath's big knocks. Sharath’s corner will be empty from next season. Tamilnadu cricket will miss you Sharath…..
