Vasant Ranjane

Infobox Historic Cricketer

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nationality = Indian
country = India
country abbrev = IND
name = Vasant Ranjane
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-hand bat
bowling style = Right-arm fast-medium
tests = 7
test runs = 40
test bat avg = 6.66
test 100s/50s = -/-
test top score = 16
test balls = 1265
test wickets = 19
test bowl avg = 34.15
test 5s = -
test 10s = -
test best bowling = 4/72
test catches/stumpings = 1/-
FCs = 64
FC runs = 701
FC bat avg = 14.91
FC 100s/50s = -/-
FC top score = 56*
FC balls = 4854
FC wickets = 175
FC bowl avg = 27.73
FC 5s = 6
FC 10s = 2
FC best bowling = 9/35
FC catches/stumpings = 22/-
debut date = 12 December
debut year = 1958
last date = 2 October
last year = 1964
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/33092.html

Vasant Baburao Ranjane audio|Vasant_Ranjane.ogg|pronunciation (born July 22, 1937, Pune, Maharashtra) is a former Indian cricketer who played in 7 Tests from 1958 to 1964.

Vasant Ranjane was a 'slightly built, unlikely looking figure for an opening bowler' who relied more on line and length than speed for his wickets,Sujit Mukherjee, "Playing for India", Orient Longman (1988)] but could 'swing both ways and cut the ball off the seam'. [Christopher Martin-Jenkins, "The Complete Who's Who of Test cricketers" ]

As a young boy, Ranjane used to frequent the grounds of the Shivaji Preparatory School grounds in Poona where Madhusudan Rege used to coach. He put this to practice at the Sangam Wadi Union Club, from where he was picked by the talent scouts of the Vilas Club. This paved the way for playing in the first division and first class cricket. G. Viswanath, "The Forgotten Figure", Sportstar, September 29, 1984]

Ranjane had a fabulous start to his first class career when he took nine wickets in an innings on his debut (13 for 71 in the match) including a hat-trick for Maharashtra against Saurashtra in 1956-57. [ [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/22/22268.html Scorecard of Maharashtra v Saurashtra, 1956-57] ] The role was reversed when he played his first Test two years later against West Indies at Kanpur, when his only wicket was the one missed by Subhash Gupte who took 9 for 102.

He was recalled to the Test side three years later against England where he took ten wickets in three Tests. This was followed by the tour to West Indies in 1961-62. Partly due to the presence off too many all-rounders in the side, Ranjane played only in the final Test where he took the wickets of Conrad Hunte, Rohan Kanhai, Garry Sobers and Frank Worrell.

Ranjane came from a very poor background. After his father, who was a factory worker, died when Ranjane was ten, his mother worked as a maid in a hospital to support the family. Ranjane dropped out of the school after the seventh standard. He managed to find a job as a fitter in the Indian railways where he continued till 1994, but it was hardly sufficient to maintain his six children. Richard Cashman, "Patrons, players and the crowd", Orient Longman (1980), p. 92] [ [http://www.punekhel.com/Hall_Of_Fame.htm Pune's Hall Of Fame] ]

When his sufferings got exposure in the media in the early 1980s, the Board of Control for Cricket in India allotted him a benefit match at Nagpur between India and the touring West Indies side in 1983. He also received an ex gratia payment from the BCCI when his house was damaged in the floods in Poona in the 1960s. His son Subhash played cricket for Maharashtra.

References

External links

* [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/33092.html Cricinfo profile]
* [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/1/1089/1089.html Cricketarchive profile]