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His
average in batting was more than 50, in bowling he baffled
his opponents with swing on both sides and, leg spinners
which have scalped many leading Ranji players-past and present
in Karnataka. He played in senior most division, cracked
runs like the Nawab of Nawa Nagar sending the crowd into
raptures, won matches in breath-taking manner and yet did
not represent the State, which was impoverished in the absence
of a few leading lights.
At
nearly forty-eight, V. Prabhakar of the Ideal Jawa Sports
Club, Mysore rejected "The Man of the Series" award at the
Leo Club State Level Tournaments and bestowed the same on
a budding youngster!!! That was Prabhakar's philosophy of
life; inducted others into the team remaining out himself-
be it as a manager or as a senior player. I had the fortune
of playing with him for Manasa Gangothri enjoying the flow
of his drives packed with dynamic power. As a hitter Prabhakar
was in the class of V. Subramanyam and Brijesh Patel and
incidentally his heroes were Imran Khan, Brijesh Patel and
G.R.Vishwanath.
In
the limited overs cricket there were none in Karnataka who
had so far broken the record in bowling conceding just 7
runs in 6 overs in the Hindu Trophy against State Bank of
India. He grabbed 6 wickets for 42 runs against BUCC, Bangalore,
in YSR Quarter Finals-his bowling analysis being 31 overs,
18 maidens, 42 runs and 6 wickets.
V.
Prabhakar revered late Safi Darashah and the enthusiastic
men like Mr. Sethuraman, the Ex-Convenor, State Cricket
Association, Mysore, Mr. S.N.Sathyanarayan Nadig, Sanjeev
Rao, Bhagath Simha, K.S.Chandrashekhar and all. As a young
man he incurred the wrath of the higher ups in cricket by
rather rash behavior and was barred from future cricket
prospects.
While
showing his regards to Mr.V.P.Baligar (Mysore D.C.) and
Mr. Sethuraman, Prabhakar said, "I will be grateful to them
for ever, I have done the job assigned to me to the best
of my ability and to their satisfaction during the Ranji
Trophy Match played at Mysore" (Hyderabad Vs Karnataka).
Further, Prabhakar was paying his respects to Mr.Mylavaganam
(a cricket coach) to the late Mr. Shafi Darashah (who was
his godfather, who brought him to Ideal Jawa, where he worked
till his last days), to Mr. Sathyanarayana Nadig, who chiseled
his rough exterior as well as the finest of the great game.
V.Prabhakar
came to lime light during the year 1966 when he played for
the Mysore State Schools under Kirmani and also represented
Mysore University in 1970. He played for Mysore Division
for 4 years and he was the backbone of the team to achieve
championship against star-studded Bangalore Division by
claiming 4 wickets for just 14 runs to dismiss the opponents
for a paltry 77 runs!!! On account of these performances,
he was selected for Moffusil XI for three years where he
shone as an allrounder, especially as a fielder and he was
still a shining star. Playing for National Cricket Club,
Prabhakar was the chief architect to walk away with the
J.B.Mallaradhya shield while leading the side. He scored
a sparkling 84 runs against the Merchants Cricket Club,
Bangalore at Bangalore.
If
one lists Prabhakar's achievements as a one day batsman,
medium pacer and a fielder in the class of other good players,
one has to keep on writing. Hence, I shall just look into
a few of his feats to clinch the point that men like V.P.Ballal
and Prabhakar have missed the bus because they were termed
as "Arrogant". If Mohinder Amarnath could be dropped from
the Indian team on the ground of "indiscipline", the future
of the Indian Cricket will see stalwarts like Raj Singh
Dungarpur, Manmohan Sood, Dattoji Rao Gaekwad etc. ruling
the roost.
In
the industrial level tournament against Dooravani Cricket
Club, Prabhakar captured 5 wickets for a meager 21 runs.
Against HMT, Bangalore, playing for Jai Hind Cricket Club,
Prabhakar scored a gallant 72 not out, again playing for
Jai Hind against FCC he scored 77 runs.
Even
to his last days, Prabhakar took great delight in driving
the ball in front of the wickets, the ball travelling like
a bullet to the fence. He loved to send the ball to the
country while in need of quick runs. In 1984 against Mount
Joy Cricket Club, Bangalore, Prabhakar unleashed a flurry
of strokes, which were a feast to watch. He hit a hurricane
104 not out in just 55 minutes in 62 balls.
His innings was studded with 6 sixers and 10 fours; he also
captured five wickets for 75 runs in the same Match that
too against never say die opponents.
In
another match against Vijaya Cricket Club, Mysore in the
I division once again played a stellar role scoring 100
not out in just 38 balls (13 fours and 6 sixers). It
was a state record.
Remember…. At that time he was 42 years old!!!!
Shafi
Darashah praised Prabhakar as "Gritty Cricketer" and this
has been justified by men like Roger Binny, G.R.Vishwanath,
Kirmani, to name a few. Prabhakar was a medium pacer of
nagging accuracy and penetration. His inswing had accounted
for many a dismissal at the senior division matches. As
a leg spinner too, he has fared pretty well and as a fielder
in mid-wicket, Prabhakar had few peers. Prabhakar's alround
ability reached its peak in the Mallaradhya Shield against
MEI, Bangalore. He hit a thunderous 106 and then demolished
the opponents by grabbing 4 wickets for 24 runs; playing
for Ideal Jawa against BEML, Prabhakar's deadly spell brought
him a rich harvest of 8 wickets for 49 runs.
During
1980, against State Bank of India's strong batting line-up,
Prabhakar castled them to a mere 100 all out, his figures
being a staggering 6 wickets for 13 runs (10-4-13-6)!!!!
Even
to his last days, Prabhakar recalled the last over he bowled
against SBI's Harish Kumar and others. It was a low scoring
match, Ideal Jawa batting first just managed to score 113
runs. SBI had stars like Roger Binny, Gundappa Vishwanath,
Kirmani, Raghuram Bhat and B.Raghunath. In the last two
balls of Prabhakar's, the opponents had to score just two
runs for victory. Prabhakar trapped Harish Kumar LBW in
the 5th ball of the over snatching a most thrilling victory.
Prabhakar took 3 wickets for 19 runs (12-3-19-3),
Jawa winning by mere run. I remember Prabhakar had once
exclaimed, "Before I started the last
over, I was just praying Sri. Raghavendra Swamy".
Again
in Shafi Darashah Memorial Tournament, Prabhakar carved
out the victory for NCC against Karavali Cricket Club, Bangalore.
He hit a scintillating 89 runs with 3 sixers and 13 fours.
His penchant to bowl with the new ball with telling effect
came against the Railway Institute, playing for Jai Hind
C.C. Prabhakar skittled the Railways out for a paltry 66
runs claiming 7 wickets for 22 runs (13-5-22-7) with
his devastating bowling. In the Mallaradhya shield against
RBNCC he scored 101 not out. Against the same team in the
Gopalaswamy Tournament, Prabhakar coasted Ideal Jawa to
victory by scalping 7 wickets for 32 runs (14-4-32-7).
Prabhakar
was endowed with the responsibility as a Manager of the
Mysore Zone in the Srinivasan Memorial Tournament Local
Manger for Hyderabad State team in 1989, in Ranji Trophy,
Manager cum player for Videocon Trophy, for Mysore Zone
Team. He served as K.S.C.A. Selection Committee Member for
Cricket for Mysore Zone for 6 years. He was also appointed
as a Cricket Coach for Mysore Zonal Team for "Karnataka
Trophy" held at Kolar, and he thanked Mr.Sethuraman for
the confidence he had in his ability.
Having
done his job well as Manager, he had very recently taken
a heavy toll of the Graphite India attack by thrashing 102
not out superb runs. In the Industries Tournament again,
Prabhakar scored 65 runs not out playing for Ideal Jawa
against BEML.
These
are just a few important performances of Prabhakar's illustrious
cricket career and still he was sidelined. But, he had taken
the ups and downs in this stride. Reflecting on the promising
youngsters from Mysore, Prabhakar had high hopes on S.K.Sushanth,
P.Shrinivas Prasad (his son) and Prajwal Raj of Mysore Gymkhana.
Prabhakar
was running Prabhakar's Cricket Clinic at Mysore and nurtured
many young Cricketers who are at present representing various
levels of the game. The only son of Smt.and Sri. Venkataramu,
Prabhakar had always held high the Cricket flag of Mysore.
Once I had asked Prabhakar, "How come you did not represent
the State in the Ranji tie?" he smiled mystically and quoted
Shafi Darashah's words of advice, "You should be polite".
But
unfortunately this "Tiger of Mysore",
"The Dronacharya of Mysore Cricket"
died in a car accident.
May
his soul rest in peace.
B.K.Vishwanath
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