I love you. Cricket Champions.

Champions of the State- TBS U-15 Cricket Team 1973

Tunku Besar Sec. Sch. U-15 Cricket Team
Back: L to R- Sailes, Ban, Gan, Balwant, Wong, Imtiaz, Rahim, Mat, Jeyakumar.
Front: L to R- Jagdish, Haji, Mat, Hari, Zul.

This team was probably the most successful under-15 team in the history of our school to have won a state champions trophy for the first time since the war. 

These are the days my surviving team mates speak of being 'the good old days' today. 

These were the days we wish we could go back to relive the glory and the memories.

But take a look at our faces. Look closely at all our faces. Can you find a really 'happy' face?

No. Not really.

Yet we all proclaim this to be the happiest days of our growing up lives. All of us. 

I wonder why?

I am on a journey to find out. Perhaps we can take a closer look at each one of us and examine our lives a little more in detail. 

Let's start from the back row left, 

Sailes Kumar S Patel, spin bowler & batsman. Son of a Gujerati furniture businessman, came out top student in 5th Form was promptly despatched off to the UK for studies bearing the hopes of his family on his skinny shoulders. He returned and eventually took his father's advice to run the family business. Today he still sits on his successful business in two towns in two states but has eased off to enjoy the gems of his life- his two grand daughters. And his F&B. Smiles a lot now but not then.

Ban Eng Lai, Batsman, bowler. A young novice with talent and height. He's not smiling, he has teeth like that. Probably a successful businessman in Singapore now.

Gan Siong Lim, opening batsman, in-fielder, the Chinese boy with that faraway look in his eyes. In this instance, he's halfway round the world lost in thought, in love or just confused (I was 15 & full of raging hormones). Still pretty much the same today except a little happier. 

Wong Sze Meng, batsman, bowler, completes the trinity of Chinese cricketers in the squad. Rose from humble beginnings to become tallest boy and Head Prefect in 5th Form as well as, you guessed it- Basketball Captain. That's not a smile either. 

Imtiaz Hussein, Captain, batsman, bowler, son of an immigrant Pakistani army tailor from Lahore. Even though he looks dwarfed standing next to tallest boy, he's truly a giant in talent and heart. A good captain and faithful friend. The guy's carrying the Champion's trophy and still has no smile. Now he's the one with the biggest smiles, he has the most number of grandchildren- last count, eleven.

Abdul Rahim Borhan, batsman, out-fielder, our gentle giant can wear the meanest look but has the gentlest heart and a beautiful smile but not here. He succumbed to heart failure several years ago, See, only the good die young.

to be continued...