The Guinness World Records creative “Fifty Years Of Wankhede Stadium” using 14505 cricket balls — 7821 red and 6684 white — was an ode to the greatest short-leg fielder Eknath Solkar. Raised and nurtured on the maidans, the gutsy Mumbai left-hander who emerged from zilch to achieve world fame, crouching at a dangerous fielding position and plucking catches. He also showed a stout heart while batting. “Ekky” as he was fondly known to his friends and fans was remembered by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) which dedicated the unique creative to him. It was all part of its Fifty years of Wankhede Stadium celebration with the creative displayed in front of the dressing room sight screen on January 23, the first day of the first Test at a venue in 1975. Solkar was the first Indian to score a century at the venue named after Sheshrao Wankhede, regarded as a man for integrity and sports-minded. Wankhede was responsible for breaking the umbilical cord with the Cricket Club of India (CCI) for good reasons; the Bombay Cricket Association of which was Wankhede was the President, wanted to be independent and keen to own a cricket ground. And Wankhede delivered it using his political clout. Fifty years after the MCA honoured some of its great cricketers, administrators and recognised the ground staff tending to many venues in the city, the MCA presented Rs 10 lakh each to the surviving members of the 1974 Ranji Trophy team and Rs 5 lakh to the family of Ashok Mankad and Sudhir Naik, both of whom contributed immensely to the MCA — as player, captain, coach, mentor, curator, managing committee member and what not. Don’t they deserve more!
