M.E. Pavri

Who was M.E. Pavri?

Mehallasha Edulji Pavri was an Indian cricketer, who played 26 first-class matches between 1892 and 1913. Undoubtedly one of India's greatest cricketers and one of its first ever genuine fast bowlers in its pre-Test era.

He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast bowler, one of the fastest in those times. Most of his first-class cricket was for the Parsees, but he also represented an All-India XI and Middlesex several times.

He made his debut on the Parsee tour to England in 1888, immediately becoming a revelation with his 170 wickets at an average of 11.66, and now he is widely regarded as the first great Indian cricketer.

According to legend, at Eastbourne, he is said to have sent a bail flying 50 yards, while in Norfolk, when he uprooted a stump, it flew nine yards and pitched itself the right way up.

Performances in other notable matches include the Parsees vs Lord Hawke's XI in 1892 which resulted in a narrow Parsi victory and was also the first-ever first-class match staged in the subcontinent. The match was considered as the Cricket Championship of India at that time, and Pavri took 2 wickets for 3 runs in 3 overs and 7/34 in 13.2 overs. The Parsis won match by 4 wickets.