The Hindu : Sport : Book on World Cup cricket released

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Saturday, Aug 06, 2005

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Book on World Cup cricket released

NEW DELHI: "I wish football also gets attractive sponsorship. Cricket is popular but I hope other sport in the country also earns the same kind of support from the people and the sponsors," said Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee at a function to release World Cup Cricket — A Compendium, a 628-page compilation of all the World Cup matches.

Penned by noted cricket commentator Ravi Chaturvedi, the book contains history of all the eight World Cup tournaments held thus far along with a brief description and scorecard of all the 256 matches.

A 40-page section on statistics by Rajneesh Gupta is one of the highlights of the book.

In his foreword, Sachin Tendulkar described Chaturvedi as "a pioneer in Hindi commentary. I admired the ease and natural flair with which he commented on cricket. He has mastered the art of describing the game in our national game with poise and perfection. The terms he used have now become an essential part of the media. He has played a prominent role in taking cricket to the far-flung villages throughout India. His love for the game has not diminished in his 40 years of association with the game."

In the epilogue, former West Indies great fast bowler Wes Hall wrote, "my four trips to India as a player (1958 and 1966) and later as a manager of the West Indies team (1983 and 1996 World Cup) provided me to make many friends there but the one who impressed me the most is Ravi Chaturvedi, a commentator-chronicler of class and calibre. His understanding of the game and his nuances is commendable and he is admired and respected widely for his views on the game in the Caribbean."

Since the book is dedicated to the memory of late Madhavrao Scindia, the first copy of the book, sponsored by Indian Airlines, was presented to his son Jyotiraditya by Mr. Chatterjee.

"I wish you make football as popular as you made cricket with your commentary," concluded Mr. Chatterjee at the well-attended function at the Constitution Club. — Special Correspondent

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