Thread by @IWTKQuiz

On the occasion of @anilkumble1074 's 51st birthday - a little known story of how a very much vegetarian Kumble ate 2 bears for lunch.

Setting the stage - 1995, hot and dry summer in the county championships in England. Kumble is playing for Northamptonshire.

They were second in the table going to take on the first placed team Warwickshire. Warwickshire, though without Brian Lara, were defending champions and were leading the table at that time.

Few years later, Kumble would dismiss Lara looking like this.

Allan Lamb won the toss for Northamptonshire and decided to bat first. They were skittled out for 152 with only David Capel managing to get to a half century.
David Capel then proceeded to take a 7fer to restrict Warwickshire to 224. Remarkably 140 of them came from Roger Twose.

Northamptonshire then did well in the second innings by scoring 346.

Kumble helped himself to 21 against the bowling of Alan Donald, Dermot Reeve and Dougie Brown - all future internationals.

Slight digression - Dougie Brown is unique in cricket. He first played a few ODI's for England, including a debut against India at Sharjah. Then retired and coached Namibia in the 2003 World Cup. Then remarkably played for Scotland in the 2007 World Cup.
Player-Coach-Player.

Back to the game.

Warwickshire were set 275 to win.

Kumble was now expected to do his thing. He went about his business in a methodical fashion, doing things Indian spectators had seen him do. Warwickshire staring down the barrel at 53/6.

England internationals - Dermot Reeve and Neil Smith then forged a steady partnership and brought Warwickshire back into contention.

At lunch on the final day, they were 222 for 7, still needing 53. Kumble by now had taken 5 of the wickets to fall.

Here is where @anilkumble1074 becomes Rajni. He was the only vegetarian among the 2 teams and Dermot Reeve does the d**k move of taking the only vegetarian meal available at the ground.

Kumble was pissed, but said "Don't worry I will just eat 2 bears after lunch."

Bears here refers to the Warwickshire team whose nickname was the bears.

@anilkumble1074, then removed the main stumbling block Dermot Reeve and Keith Piper to finish with figures of 7/82 from 42 overs helping Northamptonshire win a close match by 7 runs.

This was the story of how a pure vegetarian @anilkumble1074 ate 2 bears after lunch.

Happy Birthday to India's greatest match winner and wish you a long life ahead.