Posted on: 28 July 2009
The first cricket match for the Ranji Trophy took place at Trinity College Dublin between an Irish and Indian XI in Trinity’s cricket grounds on Sunday, July 26th last. The Indian XI, made up of the Indian community resident in Ireland, beat the Irish side with 163 runs for 10 wickets in a match that was supported by the Indian Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency P.S. Raghavan.
The Ranji Trophy is named after Prince Ranjitsinhji, Maharajah of Nawanager, cricketing superstar and former resident of Ballynahinch Castle in Connemara. On July 17th, 1924, the Prince who was the first non-Englishman to play test cricket for England, became the first head of state to make an official visit to the newly-founded Irish Free State. The subsequent purchase of Ballynahinch Castle and estate in Connemara by this high-profile international statesman came as a boost to the fledgeling Irish State as did his promotion of Ireland as a tourist haven.
(L-R) The Indian Ambassador to Ireland, P.S. Raghavan; Captain, India XI, Neil Bhandari; Representative of TCD’s South Asia Initiative, Professor David Dickson; Author of Ranji Maharajah of Connemara, Anne Chambers; Captain, Ireland XI, Alan Ruddock,
Irish author Anne Chambers’ book Ranji: Maharajah of Connemara has recently brought the intriguing story of Ranji’s many associations with Ireland to light. To commemorate the Prince’s promotion of Irish-Indian relations, the author donated the Ranji Trophy for a cricket match to be played annually between an Irish and Indian XI in his memory. Speaking about the event, Chambers said: “I am delighted that this event is now incorporated into the more recently established South Asia Initiative at Trinity College Dublin with its aim of renewing and developing relationships between India and Ireland.”
The event, which will form part of the Irish cricket calendar, is set to become a focal point in the recently-established South Asia Initiative at Trinity College Dublin and will be sponsored in future years by Ballinahinch Castle. The South Asia Initiative’s programme is dedicated to the renewal and development of relationships with India and other countries in South Asia across a wide range of disciplines from arts and humanities to science, technology and medicine and will also reach out to the Indian community resident in Ireland.
The final score in the 2009 match was Indian XI – 163 runs for 10 wickets; Ireland XI – 88 runs for 9 wickets.
