Govindjee pays tribute to ‘Lefty’ Adams

Being given the belief to back themselves and trust in their abilities is a memory many cricketers who came into contact with Abduraghmaan Adams would treasure, Devdas Govindjee said as he paid a tribute to the late stalwart of the game.

As news of Adams’s death, at the age of 84, filtered through on Friday, tributes from the cricket fraternity have poured in as they paid their respects to a giant of the game.

Lefty, or “Boeta Maan” as he was affectionately known, is widely regarded in cricketing circles as one of the greatest left-arm orthodox spinners of his era.

Born in a time that destined him never to be allowed to represent his country at the highest level, his achievements on and off the field are a remarkable testament to a cricketing hero.

He started his career as a teenager, hastily drafted into the starting XI, where he had originally come to the game to be the scorer.

It was the start of a lifetime of playing, coaching and managing cricket.

During his playing career, he represented Eastern Province, Western Province and Griquas at provincial level, and played leading roles at Pirates, Pioneers and Primrose cricket clubs.

His first-class records, which reflect his time playing in segregated cricket, are outstanding.

He took 122 wickets at an average of 15.28, with an economy rate of 2.18 runs per over.

A man of principle, Adams shunned lucrative offers to play across the colour line, while at club cricket level his contributions included taking more than 100 wickets per season for a number of years, including a hat-trick in both innings.

Speaking to HeraldLIVE on Monday, former international match referee and EP left-arm spinner Govindjee rated Adams as one of the best cricketers with whom he had shared the field.

Govindjee played under Adams’s captaincy when he was selected for South Zone sides, which would be named at the end of each season, and populated by the country’s best players.

“He was an extraordinary player who had a huge presence on the field, not only as a captain but as a left-arm spinner.

“He knew what he was capable of and knew what he could get out of his team, so as a leader he was exceptional.

“He had an unbelievably sharp cricketing brain, and, if you speak to some of the players with whom he played, they will echo how highly regarded he was among the players of that era,” Govindjee said.

Asked about his impact on the men he played alongside, Govindjee said “Lefty” always gave the players the belief to back themselves and their abilities on the field.

“In our era, we played on sheer natural ability, we had no coaching or practice facilities that we could go to, so what we did was to watch as much of each other as we could and then talk about the game among ourselves to give us an idea of what was happening.

“It was a privilege to play against him.

“He was an unselfish individual, extremely competitive, but very unselfish in what he would impart and share, being a staunch nonracial sportsperson.

“He will be sorely missed,” he said. 

WP legend Vincent Barnes recalls playing with Adams, and remembered Lefty as someone who was “tough as nails and did not know the meaning of the word defeat” and saw him as a “highly respected stalwart in the fight for nonracial sport in our country”.

HeraldLIVE