Empire Cricket Booklet

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INDIAN CRICKET IN NATAL

them in particular ways, Natal's Indians embraced cricket with relish. There was a constant struggle for amenities and opportunities to play cricket, in a context where they faced intense racial discrimination and mobilised politically to seek redress. Yet, they constantly displayed their attachment to empire, whether they were serving as stretcher-bearers in various conflicts involving the British, observing Queen Victoria's birthdays, or being bowled over by British values that they so admired and respected. In part, this decision was political. Being British should have entitled Indians to equality with whites as British citizens. The 'imperial subject', Datta tells us, 'presented the promise of citizenship for the colonised subject'. But, as Indians were to learn, the 'imperial order' globally became divided along racial lines as 'the White "achievers" invoke[d] the simple world of White versus non-White to fix and immobilise the prospect of internal mobility within the scale of civilisation'. 99

Calcutta, Allahabad, Cawnpore, Aligarh, Delhi, Ajmere, Madras, Poona, Bungalow and Agra. 95 They took a letter from the Mayor of Durban, Fleming Johnston, testifying that they were 'respected not only by their fellow-Indians in the field of sport, but also by the European community'. 96 According to the manager, Soodyall, many of the best sportsmen could not tour because workers were unable to get leave for five months. 97 While the team lost most of its games, Albert Christopher was proud that they had 'shown to the Motherland that her sons away from home are doing everything to uphold its honour and ancient traditions'. 98 Such visits reinforced 'Indianness' and attachment to Empire. This study of Indian cricket in Natal underscores the extent to which the cultural project of imperialism was successful. Unlike many parts of the world where the British deliberately and consciously introduced sport as a tool to subjugate the natives or shape