…You land in 1656 and pictures of Coxheath mob rule

Why Hansie Cronje’s ancestors were among those making their way between France and Holland to escape religious persecution and lob-bowling was in force, pitches were selected by the visitors and most games were a type of single-wicket and double-wicket format.

In fact, England’s early post-Civil War era (from 1652) is where the game grew in popularity from one of bucolic charm to where the early patrons and spectators were bored aristocrats and their staff. Gambling is also were how the game’s laws emerged. The idea was to control a gambling culture that grew up around the sport. It was matters of disagreement over decisions on the field that caused early crowd misbehaviour and publicans in those days were often forced to close the shutters and front door if there was a dispute.

All of which means that crowd behaviour these days is fed more on nationalistic feelings than gambling issues, although heated arguments during a Caribbean visit in the late 1950s had its amusing moments. A section of the crowd at Sabina Park in March 1958 demanded their money back when during his innings of 365 Garry Sobers hadn’t reached his 300th run during a particular over. This is a lot different to the feelings generated among those in the stands at Brabourne Stadium during the Australian tour of 1969. Already there had been major pre-Test protests when Srinivas Venkataraghavan was left out of the side for the first Test and Subrata Guha stood down in a magnanimous gesture. It won’t happen these days.

So imagine the feelings when Venkat was given out caught in the first innings (by an Indian umpire) without touching the ball and the radio commentator saying ‘Venkat is not out and Lawry is a cheat’. It was an invitation for those listening to riot. They did. Deck chairs were stacked and burned, as were cars in the streets outside and the riot police went onto the field as the Aussies were pelted with bottles. It was a moment when Ian Chappell felt it would be safer in the dressingroom. Not the captain: Lawry wanted a wicket or two and as he was talking to Chappelli, the vice-captain, the scorer charged across the field as black smoke billowed from the stand.

At least it was not politically motivated as have been those in the West Indies. Len Hutton refused the budge after a riot caused by a run out during the 1953-54 tour during the third Test in Guyana. He remained on the field; calm eventually returned when the tear gas cleared and Hutton’s decision paid off, he picked up a wicket before the end of the day’s play.

What is important here is that it is the first time that local nationalism created enough noise to have the Colonial Office in look into the causes of the riot. Serious disaffection with what was interference by London and the governor in local politics was just part of the worry. British West Indies was in a strong push for an end to colonial rule and the Georgetown riot was symptomatic of the time.

How vastly removed is this from an incident the previous summer when schoolboys down from a coastal town in New Zealand politely applaud a double century scored by Jackie McGlew in a Test at the Basin Reserve. All the Kiwis were pleased for McGlew; the only ones upset were the tired Kiwi bowlers, grumbling about slipshod fielding as eight catches were dropped.

Or, if you wish, what about the restive mood Aussie crowd in Melbourne telling Frank Tyson to bowl a grand piano to Neil Harvey ‘and see if he can play that’ as the man they nicknamed Typhoon devastated the Australian innings with fiery fast bowling.

Aussie crowds have long been known for their patriotism, perhaps more so from the time of the bodyline tour of 1932-33 disturbed relations between former servant and master as Douglas Jardine and his shock troops Harold Larwood and Bill Voce made an assault on the ‘servants’ to regain The Ashes.

Across the Tasman, the Kiwis were just too happy to have a Test series to vent similar hostile opinions.