Shivaji Park Gymkhana putting Payyade SC to bat on their homeground at Shivaji Park (Dadar) did suffer some early blows with openers Akhil Herwadkar (1) and Praful Waghela (9) falling out early. However, it was Sarfaraz Khan at no.4 continuing his consistent run with the bat scoring a yet another dominating ton on a bowler friendly wicket. Sarfaraz scored a majestic 101* in mere 89 balls (7 fours, 4 sixes) at a time when his other mates were struggling from the other end. It was on the back of his sparkling unbeaten 101* did Payyade SC reached a respectable total of 168/5 dec in 42 overs.
Shivaji Park Gymkhana in reply found it difficult to get going on their own wicket getting all out for 101 runs in 34.4 overs. Fast Bowler Minad Manjrekar (4/27) ensured he troubled the top order while experienced spinner Vishal Dabholkar (4/35) cleaned up the lower order handing over a 1st innings win to their team.
Sarfaraz who was the highest run getter last year in Kanga continues top form. Just fresh from twin hundreds in both the innings vs Vidarbha, this his 3rd back to back ton in last one month which speaks a lot about his form and the shape he is in.
Sainath Sports Club after being put to bat first at the Oval Maidan declared their innings on 82/3 in 22 overs. Even though their top order struggled to make an impact, it was Yash Chavan (39* off 42) & Karan More (17*) putting on an unbeaten 42 run stand for the 4th wicket.
In reply, Maskati CC were on the verge of an embarrassing whitewash as they lost quick wickets in a span of 14 overs. Maskati CC were 14/7 with all-rounder Yash who top scored with the bat coming up with amazing bowling figures of 4wkts/3runs in 7 overs with his left arm spin. Spinner Bharat Patil with 9/3 in 5 overs was also impressive while the match ended no results being obtained.
Young Maharashtra CC after being put to bat first at Shivaji Park on their home turf declared their innings at 108/6 in 36.1 overs. After losing their opener Harmesh in the 2nd over, Upendra and Harshal Jadhav spent some time at the crease to create a positive momentum.
Harshal who came at no.3 top scored with 51 runs facing 113 balls. It was a hardfought knock where he smashed only 3 boundaries while did good running between the wickets. The rest of the batsman below him found it difficult to get going as Young Maharashtra CC declared their innings before getting all out.
PDTSA in reply were 38/3 in 19 overs at the end of the game’s play where the match could not obtain any results.
On uneven wet wickets and grounds with more grass, it’s a known fact that it’s very difficult to score runs. Kanga League has been a tournament which has been dominated by the bowlers since decades. Scoring fifties and hundreds are always considered impressive in this league and Siddarth Sharma just impressed one and all with his aggressive brand of batting in his debut match of the season.
Matunga Gymkhana after being put to bat first at Dadkar Maidan declared their innings on 81/7 in 17.5 overs. Thanks to their experienced all-rounder Ninad Borkar playing a crucial knock of 44 runs in 42 balls saving the grace for his team. Off-spinner Arya Pol with 3/33 was the pick of the bowlers for Amar CC.
Amar CC despite a sluggish opening start batted really well scoring 115/2 in 17 overs at the end of the game’s play. Amar CC took a 1st innings lead thanks to a swashbuckling knock by Siddarth Sharma who took on the bowlers with his brute hitting. Siddarth scored 63* in mere 37 balls which had just 1 boundary but a stunning 7 sixes to his name. Siddarth alongwith Rohan Gahhar (22* off 13) were enjoying the last few overs hitting freely to every bowler coming their way.
Kanga League always tests our patience as we all cricket lovers as well as participating players across so many divisions wait eagerly for the season to begin in a rain-laden environment. As the history has been, playing in Kanga is like a training ground for professional cricketers. Everything right from uneven & wet wickets, to difficult grassgrowned grounds to scoring runs which is very very difficult to learning the virtues of patience, technique and perseverance is learned as well as tested in this red ball tournament.
Though most of the matches were abandoned or did not obtain a result on 15th of August, there were a few matches which were conducted. In the match between Pandurangwadi CC and John Bright CC at the Sydenham College Ground at Oval Maidan, Pandurangwadi CC were put to bat first getting all out for mere 68 runs in 31.4 overs.
That one bowler who stood out in the opening match of the season was medium pacer Moondeep Mangela. Moondeep who is a part of the Mangela Brothers Trio has cricketing blood running through his veins with his other two brothers Shrideep and Sandeep also being professional cricketers. Moondeep came up with an exhibition spell of 5/21 in 13 overs providing breakthroughs at regular intervals. It was this hostile spell by the medium pacer which cleaned up Pandurangwadi CC for just 68 runs.
The match could not obtain any results with John Bright Club batting for just 11 overs at the end of the game’s play. However it was a strong start by John Bright CC’s bowler Moondeep as he will be a bowler to watchout for in the upcoming matches.
When you talk about cricket in Mumbai, there are two types of batsman. The first breed is the group of current senior players of Mumbai who have growned up watching as well as playing Red Ball Cricket. The ones who are known for their traditional cricketing shots, classy batting and old school technique. The 2nd breed is thriving of energetic youngsters who will soon be the future of Mumbai as well as Indian Cricket.
The 2nd breed of youngsters are completely different personalities with them putting more emphasis on white ball cricket and its not their fault either as T20’s are played more than Tests and ODI’s in today’s era. They prefer to play faster, they have the whackiest of shots and for them playing fast is not just a necessity but it’s their natural game.
And when we talk about Jay Bista, he is the fortunate hybrid Cricketer with the best of both the worlds. Born on 23rd December 1995 , at the age of 23, Jay is right there at the middle of two generations where he gets to see two different worlds of cricket. With experienced team mates like Suryakumar Yadav, Siddhesh Lad, Aditya Tare, Shreyas Iyer & Dhawal Kulkarni, Jay gets to witness proper classical red ball cricket whenever he gets a chance to represent the Mumbai team in the longer format of the game. Jay gets to see the sanctity of test cricket, the nitty-gritties of patience, solid technique, classical shots from the 1st breed of his senior mates while he has his own game of wizardy with the bat & athletic fielding abilities making him a perfect recipe for a modern day t20 player.
With the advent of T20 Cricket rising, new shots being innovated every day and playing fast & furious being the latest trend, Jay is well versed with that world of cricket too with aggressive brand of batting being his natural game.
In a candid interview with Cricketgraph, we throwed upon a lot of questions at him which he gracefully answered:
When we asked him how it all started, Jay said “From the age of 2, i was in to this game as my mom had told me from that age itself I was crazy for the game. I started practicing from the age of 8 but when I was 12, that’s when I started thinking about it professionally”
Born & brought up in Mumbai, the 23yr old studied at Bhadra New High School and later went to the famed Shardashram Vidyamandir School which has given Mumbai some of the finest first class & national level cricketers. Jay finished his further studies from Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College while he is getting trained under coaching of Vinod Raghavan Sir.
Jay has represented Mumbai team at U14, U16, U19, U23 as well as the senior team while he plays club cricket representing Victory CC in Mumbai. When we asked him to share some of his most memorable performances, Jay shared with us- “Getting 136 something last year in my comeback game against Saurashtra, a double hundred in the finals of U23 One Day Tournament, a 4th innings ton of 126 runs while chasing vs Baroda and my recent hundred in T20 mumbai (where he scored 110 off mere 60 balls for Sobo Supersonics) are some of my memorable performances so far.
Known for his eccentric and innovative shots including his famous version of “Bista Scoop”, Jay feels thankful to his parents and Coach Vinod Raghavan Sir for whatever he has achieved so far. When we asked him his long term goals, Jay smartly answered” –“I believe in living in the present, I don’t have a long term plan, I just want to win games for whichever teams I play for and keep performing consistently”
Team Cricketgraph wishes him all the luck for a great career ahead as he keeps entertaining one and all with his risqué shots and stylish batting.
Mumbai Cricket Team is by far one of the most successful Ranji Trophy Teams in India and there is a reason behind that! With a population of 22.5 Million people residing in Mumbai, there are thousands of talented cricketers grinding hard each and every single day to make a mark in professional cricket. There are thousands of young aspirants for whom cricket is not just a game but it’s a religion in itself.
Over the years, Mumbai Cricket has been gifted with some of the most talented cricketers the world has even seen and the only reason being the amount of passion, hard work and dedication Mumbaikars put in their favorite sport of cricket!
When we talk about Mumbai Cricketers, the name of Akhil Herwadkar definitely pops up as he has been playing consistently across various age groups and across various tournaments since quite a few years. Born on 31st October, 1994, just 24yrs old and he has already represented Mumbai team in 38 first class games. Born in Jaysinghpur (Sangli) while brought up in Mumbai, Akhil made his first class debut at the age of only 17 in the 2011-12 Ranji Trophy but was subsequently dropped from after one match. Two years back and he came back with 373 runs in 6 matches but it was the next season which defined his true colors amassing 879 Ranji runs. It also included a glorious 192 vs Gujarat as he finished as the 2nd highest run getter during that time. The good run continued with knocks like 90 vs Rest of India in the Irani Trophy while he was eventually bought by Delhi Daredevils for a sum of Rs 10 Lakh in the IPL Auctions. Akhil has also been part of the India U19 on the back of his good performances at Mumbai U16 &U19 Levels.
When we asked Akhil to elaborate how he started, he shared: initially I was playing with a bat and a ball at my place, my father gazed at me and sighted the spark and put me into Cricket! From that point of time, I started pursuing coaching in cricket! I started playing Cricket at the age of 6 and onwards & i still feel after a couple of decades there is no limit to learning skills as i am still into it.
Akhil who studied at Shiv Samarth School in Thane and graduated from Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College, Ghatkopar wants to express gratitude for both of these Institutions for their support! However, between all that glory is always the unseen struggle and even Akhil had a tough time to make it into the Ranji team as there were best of the players competing in the Mumbai Ranji team during that time. “The competition level was immense while once i made it into the team, the pressure was to survive & maintain my existence in the team”
Akhil batting video
Amongst the big teams, Akhil has played for Mumbai U14, U16, U19, U22, U23, Ranji Trophy, Ranji Trophy One Day, Ranji Trophy T20, India A, India Red, ROI (Rest of India) & Delhi Daredevils while he plays for Payyade Sports Club at the Club Level in the MCA Tournaments. Akhil with 231 runs in 6 games for Arcs Andheri was also amongst the top run getters in the latest edition of T20 Mumbai making quite a comeback after just 53 runs in 5 games in the 1st season.
In an era of clean hitters when most of the batsmen want to play faster, Akhil has been the classy & silent accumulator of runs making him one of the last breeds of players who grew up with emphasis on red ball cricket. However, it does not mean he can’t accelerate, his 58 ball 79 in the last match of the T20 Mumbai this season for Arcs Andheri or the 54 ball 101 in the 68th Salar Jung Tournament in 2017 are quite a few testimonies that he can quickly change his game.
When we asked him to share some of the performances which are dear to him, Akhil quipped-The Ranji Trophy Season of 2016-17 when I scored 980 runs & took 8 wkts, 89* vs Australia when I was playing for India A, 100 in the quarter-finals of Ranji Trophy against Delhi are some really memorable performances which will be very close to me.
At last Akhil said “I would really thank my parents, coaches, my sister to believe in me and support me every single day which brought me closer to my dream! I would’nt have been what I am today with the absence of these positive souls! My Aim is to play for my country India and give Indians a reason to celebrate moments where in the world cup is home!
At the age between 24 to 28, a player is at his peak in terms of his game & fitness, 24yr old Akhil still has plenty of cricketing years left in him. We wish Akhil all the luck for a great career ahead.
Well in the last article you learned about the overtraining syndrome. This article focuses more on how to prevent overtraining and its treatment.
Prevention of overtraining can be simple as it requires maintenance of the correct balance between training load and recovery. The most important component of prevention is awareness of the problem particularly among the coaches. Education of coaches in the science of training will lead to decrease in the number of athletes developing this syndrome.
Periodization (proper planning) of training, allowing sufficient recovery time within the training program, and the use of recovery techniques such as massage, hydrotherapy, and relaxation, as well as higher fluid and carbohydrate intakes enables the athletes to cope with
high training loads.
Early recognition that an athlete may be developing the overtraining syndrome may help the trainer or the S&C coach to take immediate measures to avoid further progression. A good relation and communication between the coach/ trainer and the athlete is essential. The coach
can provide feedback on the athletes's condition and details of the past, present and intended training program.
Preventative measures overreaching/overtraining syndrome.
Periodization of training
Taper (reducing the load) before the competition
Adjust training/practice duration and intensity based on performance of the athlete
Ensure adequate calories taken to sustain the training
Ensure adequate water intake
Ensure adequate carbohydrate consumption before, during and after exercise
Ensure adequate sleep
Rest period of atleast 4 to 6 hours between training/practice
Avoid training following infection, heat stroke/stress or periods of high stress
Avoid extreme environmental conditions
Monitoring of overtraining
Unfortunately, no single test can detect overtraining in the sportsperson. However, there are a number of parameters, both clinical and laboratory, which in combination may enable the sportsperson to be monitored in order to prevent the development of overtraining syndrome. Probably the simplest and most effective means of monitoring overtraining is self-analysis by the athlete themselves. Daily documentation should include sources and ratings of stress, fatigue, muscle soreness and quality of sleep.
Treatment of the over trained athlete
In players who present with a relatively short history of overtraining, complete rest is recommended in the short term, and the athlete is advised to get as much sleep as possible over the next 48 hours. Often this can be done over a weekend. If the syndrome is not severe, this may be sufficient, and the athlete may recover and begin the week with renewed energy.
If this brief period of rest does not reduce the athlete & fatigue, the overtraining syndrome has developed. This may take weeks or months to resolve. Treatment includes rest, attention to dietary and fluid intake, and psychological support.
However, when a sportsperson presents with a viral illness and has an elevated temperature, intense training is not recommended as serious illness may develop or the sportsperson may prolong the illness or develop post-viral fatigue syndrome. In a sportsperson with a mild temperature, light training is permissible and may in fact have a positive effect. In cases of nutritional deficiencies, a consultation with the dietician to address the deficits of nutrition and hydration is essential.
Hope this was an useful insight about the strategies to prevent and treat overtraining. Stay tuned for more updates!
Opting to bat first at Khera Khalan, New Delhi, Spartan Strikers XI mustered an impressive total of 233/10 in 40 overs. Despite a shaky start by the openers, it was their no.3 batsman Ujjwal Kaushik playing an impressive innings of 92 runs in 90 balls laced with 9 fours and 2 sixes. The rest of the batsman chipped in around him with small cameos as Spartans Strikers reached a competitive total. From the bowlers, Shaurya Sharma with 4/46 was the pick of the lot.
Chasing 234 at almost 6 runs per over, Delhi Warriors Salim Ansari team must have felt the pressure of chasing as they were bundled out for 100 runs in 27.3 overs on the back of some tight bowling by Spartan Strikers bowlers. Suraj Kumar was particularly impressive with the ball taking 3wkts for mere 2 runs in 1.3 overs while the rest of the bowlers also bowled tight getting wickets at regular intervals.
Spartans Strikers won the match by 133 runs while Ujjwal Kaushik was declared ‘man of the match”
When your father is a Mumbai Cricketer who has played with prominent cricketers, there is obviously a pressure to work on the footsteps of your idol who also happens to be your coach. That’s exactly the case with left-handed batting all-rounder from Mumbai Parag Khanapurkar.
Parag was just 3yrs old when he touched the cricket bat and from the age of 9 he started practicing and playing hardball cricket. Born in Karnataka, Dharwad, 32yr old Parag was born and brought up in Mumbai while Children’s Academy was his 1st school. Parag later went to IES VN Sule which is known for its strong cricketing background, it was in IES he got to play Harris and Giles Shield tournaments alongside some really good players.
Though it has been his father who has coached him his entire life, since the last 7yrs, Parag is getting trained with Umesh Patwal sir who is the International Coach of Nepal Cricket Team. Parag believes, Umesh Sir is not only a great coach, he has also been a great friend and a mentor. Parag also mentioned the names of Sanjay Gaitonde and Bhimesh Shah who have been helpful to him during his age group & club cricket days. Parag who is currently playing Club Cricket in England is also thankful to Jayesh Kansara who has assisted him in his England sojourn.
When we insisted him to share his struggles or the mindset he developed over the years, this is what Parag shared “Sports is never easy for anyone until you understand it is a very funny thing that people say that sports will always make you happy, it will always give you success but I think sports is not that easy. For me sports was difficult because my dad always had expectations from me to become a big cricketer and it was very difficult for me to cope with it mentally. It took time for me to come out of it, but later on I managed to understand that it’s all about enjoying your sports, enjoying your challenges. If you don’t enjoy the challenges you won’t reach your goal. Struggle is challenge in life for me, the more you take it the better you become, so for me it was always more of a mental struggle than financial struggle”
Parag has been playing for Payyade Sports Club in MCA Tournaments while he represented Sobo Supersonics & Shivaji Park Youngsters in T20 Mumbai. The other clubs he has played for is New Amrit cc, Mumbai Customs & a few other clubs across corporate and professional tournaments. However, he is now a senior player of Payyade since it’s almost a decade that he is representing the Payyade Sports Club team. Being a senior player comes with its own responsibilities, hence is also the captain of the Payyade Team.
Some of the highlights of Parag’s Career-
-When he got selected for Mumbai One Dayers (List A) in the knockout stages vs Punjab at Motera in 2012.
– On February 2012, Parag scored 123 on his debut game where he was playing alongside experienced players like Wasim Jaffer, Ajit Agarkar, Rohit Sharma, Usman Malvi, Aditya Tare, Iqbal Abdullah amongst others.
-Played Mumbai University, MCA Colts vs Zimbabwe
– Was amongst the top all-rounders as he scored 550 runs alongwith 30 wkts in the 2012-13 season of Times Shield B Div.
– Was adjudged the “Best Batsman” in Police Shield in 2017
– Parag has scored 638 runs with 4 half centuries, 22 sixes at a strike rate of 130.00+ alongwith 16 wkts in T20 Mumbai in 24 games across all seasons so far.
Parag who has played Ranji T20 earlier is currently employed with Mumbai Customs. Parag also represents the A Div Mumbai Customs Team in Times Shield. His aim is to make it into the Ranji Trophy team as he shared with us “I was a part of the team in 2012-13 and without making my debut I was being taken off from the team so I think that would be my greatest aim right now and of course playing IPL is a dream as well for any cricketer. The only question now I have is, is Cricket only about having youngsters or is there a place for experienced players who are fit to play?
When we asked him to elaborate further Parag said- “One more thing specially for leg spin bowlers. We need good captains to back them. There are no captains who back leg spinners. If you get hit, you are out, no one gets back then. Belief level is important for leg spinner especially from captain and some coaches. Despite leg spinners being match winners, there is not a single leg-spinner in our Mumbai team and its time to breed them and back them up”
When we asked him on what aspects he is working on during off season, Parag said- I don’t think there is any such thing as technique. It is only the skill and ability to score runs. The basic skill everybody needs to have is cut, pulls, sweep, drives and step out drives. I think these are the skills I always practice no matter what. It’s all about the process and not about the runs you score or the wickets you take. Just like how you upgrade your mobile, always keep upgrading yourself because it’s really important!
It was a really interesting conversation with Parag as we saw the fire in him to perform, his passion to play at the highest level and we wish him all the luck for a great career ahead.