Dear All

It gives me great pleasure to inform you all that I would be entering 50^th year of my career in Cricket today, the 20th of December 2017. I was appointed as a Scorer in the Press Box for the Cricket match played between South Zone and Australians at Central College Grounds, Bangalore. This game was played on dates, 20, 21 and 22^nd of December 1969

I recall a few memorable moments of this game. South Zone commanded the game all through. Australia conceded the first innings lead in this game. Australia was in verge of losing this game and drew the game. Australian captain Bill Lawry padded up to EAS Prasanna who reduced Australians with a haul of six wickets conceding mere eleven runs. Bill Lawry the first innings centurion for Australia remained not out with 10 runs in the second innings. Chandra bowled his hearts out and Lawry padded all through. ML Jaisimha captain of South Zone rang many bowling changes in order to clinch a win but Bill Lawry was in defiance. Old Timers who watched this game remember Bill Lawry’s padding.

I am very much indebted to my class mate Sri Sundar Raja Rao Cavale more affectionately/popularly known as “Cavale” in Cricketing Circles of the then Mysore/now Karnataka. He had already established himself as a scorer at Mysore State Cricket Association.  At his instance, I was appointed as a scorer. We were classmates in Pre University Course at Vijaya College, Bengaluru. A day prior to the match, he taught me the nuiances of scoring which helped me a lot when I became a scorer for Mysore State Cricket Association{later on KSCA} on a regular basis

The taste of scoring was meted out to me by AV Venkatanaryana who breathed his last two months back. I vividly remember the occasion. It was in the year 1959 and when I was in High School Second year.  It was a Saturday and the inter school match between my school – Acharya Pata Shala High School and National High School at National High School Grounds. The regular score did not turn up at the venue. The toss was over and APS had elected to bat. I was standing nearby the Scorer’s table and suddenly AV Venkatanarayana called me “Gopala, Come here and be a scorer for the match”. It was my first experience as a Scorer for the School game.

I took upto statistics in one of the most interesting situation. A Ranji Trophy match between Karnataka and Hyderabad was slated to be played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.  I was already employed with Dena Bank, Sarjapura Branch. I got down at Richmond Circle and was walking towards Lavelle Road to collect the badge for the scorer from KSCA.   B Raghnath and Prasanna Simha Rao were heading towards their homes and Raghu was riding a motor bike. On seeing me he stopped the bike and called me to him. I went to him and he asked “how many runs I have scored in Ranji Trophy?. I told him that I do not know and as of now I have been just a scorer. To this reply of mine, he urged me to become a statistician as it would go a long way for your future. How true is urging words have become.

After this match, I got in touch with the legend BS Chandrashekhar’s father – Late BS Subramanya – who was residing in fourth block, Jayanagar. I was residing in Seventh Block, Jayanagar – a walking distance.

Chandra’s father had the collections of “Indian Cricket” – a journal published by the Hindu Group of Publications right from 1964 – Chandra’s test debut. I borrowed three to four books at a time and built up the statistical careers of Karnatka Cricketers in Ranji Trophy. I still have this register intact.

I have no regrets whatsoever for pesuing the career of a statistician. It has given me name and also fame. This career gave me a tour to Sri Lanka in September 1985, when All India Radio selected me as one of the two scorer-cum-statistician for the tour.

As on date, I have officiated 98 International Cricket matches – 37 tests. 56 one day internationals and 05 Twenty20 internationals.

Apart from this I have officiated domestic games such as Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, One day games such as Wills Trophy, Deodhar Triphy matches numbering over 100

Karnataka Government has bestowed me two prestigious awards – Dasara Kreeda Prashasthi in 1989  and Rajyotsava Award in 2010 and I remain the only Cricket Statistician in the  country to be bestowed with two state awards