by Arunabha Sengupta

Mafeking was in the midst of the 217-day seige during the Boer War.
Trapped inside, Colonel Baden-Powell, of the Boy Scout Fame, was holding out, hoping rather than expecting relief from the Empire's forces. Frank Milligan, a Yorkshire cricketer who had played two had played two Tests in South Africa just before the War, had been killed in one of the campaigns to free Mafeking.
lt was during these interminable days that a letter was delivered, addressed to Colonel Baden-Powell. It was from Sarel Eloff, Commandant of the Johannesburg Commando and one of Paul Kruger’s thirty-five grandsons.
Lamenting about the lack of proper diversions during wartime, especially the presence of the fairer sex, the Boer Commando suggested meeting a team of Englishmen on the field for a game of cricket. Taking a break from the War between the two sides.
According to his biographer, Baden-Powell read the letter with a sardonic smile and responded,
“Sir,
I beg to thank you for your letter of yesterday, in which you propose that your men should come and play cricket with us. I should like nothing better after the match in which we are at present engaged is over. But just now we are having our innings and have so far scored 200 days not out against the bowling of Cronje, Snyman, Botha and Eloff, and we are having a very enjoyable game.
I remain,
Yours truly,
R.S.S. Baden-Powell”

Robert Baden-Powell, the first Baron Baden-Powell, passed away on January 8, 1941.