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PLATINUM JUBILEE CRICKET MATCH BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN AND TONY D’MELLO FROM SALIGAO. The Platinum Jubilee Cricket Cup between India and Pakistan to be played at the famous Eden Gardens, Kolkata a few hours from now has something for Saligao netters to be proud of. This cricket match will recall the magnificent qualities of Mr. Anthony Stanislaus D’Mello, fondly known at Tony D’Mello from Arrarim, Saligao who did yeoman service for Cricket in India then. Hence let me recall what the well-known cricketer late Mr. Vijay Merchant has to say about Tony D’Mello, the Secretary of the BCCI on this this day 13th November, 2004, as India faces Pakistan. " For sheer cricket administration, capability, confidence and enthusiasm there was never anyone to equal D'Mello. Tony D'Mello was the man who organised the Board of Control for Cricket in India, was its "first" Honorary Secretary, India’s cricket representative in international cricket conferences and finally its President It was he who built cricketing relations between India and England and later India and Australia. He was chiefly instrumental in building the bridges between India and other international cricket countries…."( Vide, Saligao Union Bombay, ‘Saligao , Golden Jubilee(1936-1986)’, Bombay, 1986 in " MOGHUL OF CRICKET" by Vijay Merchant, p.26) In thirties India and Pakistan was one Country. Though the partition in 1947 made India and Pakistan two different nations yet they play this platinum game remembering that event of one Cricketing Nation of thirties. Let’s be proud as we are witnesses to such a great event. Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas. |
