Career
Amar Singh Lodha played first-class cricket over a nine-year period; in 92 first-class matches he took 508 wickets at the bowling average of 18.35. He also scored five centuries as a batsman. In domestic cricket he was the first Indian to complete the all-rounder's double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in the Ranji Trophy.
Against England at Madras in 1933–34, Amar Singh Lodha scored 48 in the second essay after taking 7 for 86 off 44.4 overs in the visitors' first innings total of 335. At Lord's in 1936 he claimed 4/10 in his first nine overs and overall 6 for 35 from his 25.1 overs. In the next Test at Old Trafford he hit 48 not out to save India from an innings defeat. In the unofficial five-Test series against Lord Tennyson's MCC team of 1937–38 he captured 36 wickets at 16.66.
Much to the delight of the Burnley supporters, Amar Singh scored two centuries and six half-centuries. There was a 167 against Rishton, followed by a hard-hitting 112 versus East Lancashire, both at Turf Moore. Amar Singh topped the batting and bowling aggregates as well as averages. In all, he took 101 wickets at 12.11 in 360 overs; and scored 806 runs at 39.38 in 23 innings.
Amar Singh Lodha along with Mohammad Nissar formed part of a duo of fast bowlers for India. Walter Hammond said that he was '"as dangerous an opening bowler as I have ever seen".
In club cricket he played for Colne in the Lancashire League. As the club's first overseas professional he was seen as a rival to Nelson's Learie Constantine and his arrival caused the club's gate receipts and membership to double.
According to Wally Hammond, Amar Singh was "as dangerous an opening bowler as I have ever seen, coming off the pitch like the crack of doom". In an informal press meeting in 1970, Leonard Hutton said that "There is no better bowler in the world today than Amar Singh." Len Hutton said this out of experience as he had played against Singh during his years with Yorkshire. Amar Singh also had an elder brother, Ladha Ramji, an aggressive fast bowler, who played a test for India against England in Mumbai. His nephew, VL Nakum, also played first class cricket.
He died of typhoid in 1940.
Read more about this topic: Amar Singh (cricketer)
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