Madras Cricket in its formative years was dominated by the Europeans. The Madras Cricket Club was their exclusive preserve. No Non European was allowed to enter its portals. The Indians were peeved at this treatment, but could not correct this injustice as it was the heady days of the RAJ. It took the temerity and gumption of a gutsy Desi to mount a challenge to the imperialists and show them that
the natives of this sacred land could also excel in this game.The Presidency Match of Madras ,played at Chepauk between 1915 and 1952 was born of one Indian’s desire to meet the Englishman on equal terms on the Cricket ground ,and try to vanquish him.as it turned out,the Indians won substantially more matches than the Europeans ,and these were the two protagonista of this Pongal Festival of Cricket that drew large,enthusiastic audiences,in the days before Test matches. It was Buchi Babu ,known as the Father of South Indian Cricket ,who conceived the idea of the Presidency Match,angered by the apartheid practised by the Madras Cricket Club ,which required Indian players to sit under the tree and eat their lunch in the shade ,while The Europeans enjoyed the comfort of the club’s Pavilion .It was this democratic and Patriotic impulse that drove Buchi Babu to found the Madras United Club (MUC),and dream of an annual fixture between the rulers and the ruled .with the co-operation of Henry king and P.W.Partridge of the MCC,the match known as the Presidency Match became the ‘Match of the Year .He had been the greatest patron of Indian Cricket in Madras . He founded the Madras United Club ,and regularly achieved his ambition of defeating the white man at his own game. and admitted to its fold the conscientious desis with an unquenchable thirst and feel for the game and made them realize that their transition form mere onlookers to worthy wielders of the willow. Buchi, with the zeal of machinery trained them ironing out the rough edges and convinced the Europeans to pit their skills against the Natives. Thus was born the Presidency Match which was played during the harvest festival, earning the sobriquet “Pongalmatch"
The first edition was opened in 1915. Thus the aspirants gained invaluable guidance to launch the career purposefully. Buchi’s contribution to Madras cricket did not cease with gaining recognition for the natives.The Buchi Babu Memorial Tournament has become a prestigious annual affair,involving India’s top teams.Buchi Babu patriotically founded the Madras United Club in the esplanade .Himself a fine cricketer ,he was responsible for getting prince Ranjitsinjhi to Madras ,he was also responsible for sending Chari to England .This bowler ,who twisted and turned,earned tributes from English Cricketers . Buchi Babu had a dream. In his days sports, including horse-racing and polo, were dominated — indeed appropriated — by the Europeans. The Madras Cricket Club was exclusively European. Buchi Babu’s dream of having a ground open to everyone to play was the trigger that later made it possible for the hallowed Chepauk grounds to escape the MCC monopoly, and ultimately prepared the ground for the TNCA (Tamil Nadu Cricket Association) leasing the place and making way for the MAC Stadium that we find today. He sired three progenies who in due course left their imprint on the game. The eldest of the siblings, Venkatramanujalu alias Bhatt was known for his pyrotechnics his immediate younger brother, M .Balliah, a stylish left hander who earned the tag “Madras Woolley” represented the Hindus in the Bombay quadrangular,led Madras against Bombay in the final of the second edition of the Ranji Trophy.C.Ramaswami the youngest son of Buchi Babu Naidu was one of the two Indian "Double Internationals". For three generations of the Buchi Babu family have played Ranji Trophy Cricket ,Two of the family achieving Test Class as well .Besides cricket ,there have been members of the family in every generation who’ve made their mark in South India at the highest levels in Tennis and Table –Tennis ,Hockey and Golf,Polo and Equestianism ,Shooting and Bridge.
