From the archives of the Hindustan Times: October 17

Important and interesting stories from the Hindustan Times archives.

Hazare saves India from rout (1952)

HT

New Delhi- But for Vijay Hazare, India’s captain in the recently concluded tour of England, poising himself heroically like a veritable rock between India and disaster with a magnificent, fighting innings of 76 spread over about four hours and a half, the usual Indian “back-to-the-wall “ tale might have to be retold.

India’s close-of-play total of 210 for 7 wickets might not impress the arithmetical critic. But to the discerning one with his eyes glued on to the whimsical surface out in the middle which passed for the Ferozeshah Kotla Test wicket today (October 16), the shape of things to come was unmistakable.

And that is, if India’s total is not exactly safe for victory another 50 or 60 brisk runs tomorrow morning would place Amarnath and his men on the right track, with the wicket progressively deteriorating.

For even on the first day, veteran Amir Elahi caused a commotion in knowledgeable circles by spinning a foot and more before lunch today, his “spread” increasing as the day wore on. If Pakistan’s shrewd skipper, former Oxford Blue, Abdul Hafeez Kardar relished the idea of Elahi spinning so considerably on the first day. It could hardly escape him what is in store for his batsmen in the remaining three days with that great left-hander, Vinoo mankad, and off-spinner, Ghulam Ahmed thrown into the Indian attack. And Pakistan will have the worst of the wicket in the fourth innings of this Test.

Indian shares Nobel prize for medicine with 2 Americans (1968)

Stockholm- India-born Hargobind Khorana was today (October 16) named co- winner of the 1968 Nobel prize for medicine and physiology with two other American nationals for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis.

The other two are Robert Holley of Cornell University and Dr Marshall Nirenberg of the National Heart Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.

The citation said the three scientists, who will get a record cash value this year of $70,000 (Rs 5.25 lakhs), had worked independently, but their investigation converged towards the solution of a common problem.

Dr Khorana and Mr. Holley, who probed the structure of the genetic code, explained how it is used by the cell for the biosynthesis of proteins

Dr Khorana, 46 started his career as an organic chemist. During 1950-52 he worked with Nobel prize winner A. Todd in Cambridge, England, on building a complex biological substance, called nucleotides.

In the late 1950s, he was ready to take the next step, starting experiments to combine several nucleotides. His final aim was to be able to synthesize in the test tube nucleid acids containing a known sequence of nucleotides.

The synthetic nucleid acids he managed to produce made it possible for Dr Khorana to investigate the genetic (hereditary) code for all amino acids in all the details.

India clinch a thriller (1988)

Sharjah- India enjoyed a memorable 23-run victory over the West Indies in the Champions Trophy, thanks to the splendid efforts of opening batsman Srikkanth, legspinner Narendra Hirwani and medium-pacer Sanjeev Sharma.

A swashbuckling century by Srikkanth, who overcame a bout of leg cramps, was the main factor in the Indian triumph which also owed much to the tidy bowling of Hirwani and Delhi lad Sanjeev Sharma after the West Indies were moving towards victory at one stage in the opening match of the three-nation tournament.

If Hirwani checked the West Indies run-riot, it was Sanjeev who bowled India to victory with a remarkable second spell in which he captured four wickets for two runs in nine balls. Sharma had a haul of five for 26 and his feat almost overshadowed that of man of the-match Srikkanth, whose brilliant 112 enabled India to provide their bowlers with a target to bowl to.

As things transpired, the West Indies tailenders found the Indian total of 238 something beyond their reach in the slog-overs against Sanjeev and Kapil Dev. The last six West Indies wickets crumbled for a mere 23 runs and they were all out for 215 in 48.3 overs. It was only a fighting 87 by opener Desmond Haynes who sustained their hopes till he was sixth out, a victim of Kapil Dev.

For a team that showed great fighting spirit, India also enjoyed the luck of the brave. At the outset, it was skipper Vivian Richards’ failure in passing a fitness test that augured the day well for India. Richards became a nonstarter when his ankle continued to bother him. Gordon Greenidge, who took over the captaincy, won the toss and put India in to bat much to the liking of his opponents.