Featured image-Pushkar who scored 38 opening the innings
Remember Kallis and Afridi taking a 5wkt haul as well as smashing a half century at the International level? Be it at any level in cricket, there are very few players who can achieve this feat and all-rounder Nitin Surve who also happens to be a cricket coach & a former Ranji Cricketer led from the front as an example first scoring a solid half century and then bowling a match winning spell of 5wkts!
Khar Gymkhana bowling first on their own turf took on Shivaji Park Youngsters who batted well to notch up 172/6 dec in 44.2overs. The team which was struggling at 3/19 and 5/64 reached 172/6 as Mandar Phadkar and Nitin Surve stitched a 108run stand rescuing the team from a low total. Nitin scored a run a ball 56 which had 6sixes while Mandar Phadke remained unbeaten on 49*falling just one short of a match saving 50!
Shivaji Park boys pounced upon Khar Gymkhana batsman on their own den as they reduced them to mere 67/all out with all-rounder Nitin bagging 5/23 in 13overs with his wily leg-spin. Rahul Ratnaparkhi was also quite impressive bagging 4wkts as Shivaji Park youngsters won the match on 1st innings lead. Nitin achieved one of the rare milestones any all-rounder would dream of as we wish him and the team a great season ahead.
Rains hampered almost half of the matches and it was nothing but frustrating for our Mumbai Cricketers to read every Saturday “All the matches washed out”. After a long wait, it was a moment to rejoice for the cricketers as the prestigious Kanga finally kicked off. It was a great day on the ground for PJ Hindu Gymkhana boys as they begin their debut kanga match of the season with dominance.
Electing to bowl first on their own ground, they took on Apollo CC on a partially bowler dominating wicket as they were all bundled out for 94runs in 38overs. All-rounder Sachin Wagh this time displayed his bowling heroics as he came up with match winning bowling figures of 5/16 in 8overs ripping apart the middle order. Sachin bowled well in the right areas which proved fruitful for the team.
PJ Hindu Gymkhana on the other hand declared their innings for 110 without the loss of any wickets as Sachin Katkar and Ankit Revandkar opening the innings took on the counter attack heads on. Sachin smashed a fiery 56* off 51balls (5fours, 1six) while Ankit scored a sturdy 53* off 57balls (6fours, 2sixes). Apollo CC were 63/3 before the match ended with PJ Hindu Gymkhana winning the match on 1st innings.
While one has been a class performer with a great experience in Mumbai Cricket, the other one is rising on the ranks with consistent batting throughout the year. Subramaniam and Shashank both these names are now synonymous with Mumbai Cricket as they start the season with a bang.
Played at the United Cricketers, Cross Maidan, DY Patil and Bhatnagar S & CF locked horns for the opening game of the season where in Rohit Rane of Bhatnagar team won the toss and elected to bowl first. DY Patil who have always been a strong batting side displayed their might on bowler friendly wicket declaring their innings at 134/4 in mere 16overs. Subramaniam who is more of a class and grace this time decided to play aggressively dominating the bowlers with a punchy 53* off 43balls which had 4fours and 2sixes. Shashank Singh on the other hand gave a solid support as he scored on what could possibly be the fastest kanga half century this season. Shashank scored 59 off mere 28balls which had 6biggies and 4fours while Aman and Shubham got a bit unlucky falling for ducks.
Bhatnagar also faced DY Patil’s bowling strength as they were left struggling at 30/7 in 28overs. Left-arm spinner Karsh Kothari extracted the best from the wicket bagging stunning figures of 5/5 in 12overs with 7maidens.
DY Patil team starts the season with pure dominance and expect really tough competition ahead from one of the most powerful teams right now in Mumbai Cricket.
When it comes to love for cricket, Mumbai is never short of hard working players who manage both their work as well as cricketing career and Rakesh Naik is amongst one such players who has evolved as an all-rounder in the recent years.
29yr old Mumbai Lad Rakesh who practices hard at the MB Union Ground (Cross Maidan) started his cricketing career from Shardashram Vidyamandir and Rizvi College. He has been playing cricket for the last 16years & is currently an active professional cricketer playing in MCA as well as corporate level tournaments. This entire year has been a great one and he has also achieved some good records the most notable being the one where he scored a ton and a 5wkt haul in the same match! Rakesh Naik who currently does job at Intelenet has been one value for money utility all-rounder for whichever teams he has played for so far. Rakesh who bowls wily left arm spin and also bats at the middle order has single handedly helped many matches win this year.
Rakesh Naik lead Bombay Junior Tournament for Blue Star CC by scoring valuable 115 and took 5 wickets to lead his team against Shastri CC. An all round performance made him man of the match in the Bombay Junior League matches.
He also lead MB union in Cosmopolitan Shield tournament against Kamath CC scoring 109 in middle order which not only held the team together but went on to win the semi final quite convincingly.
His credentials went from One Day to Test matches too wherein he was awarded best batsman for Kanga League 2017 which is one of the prestigious tournaments organized by MCA. He scored mammoth 289 runs with an Average of 48.17 & strike rate of 83.77 in 11 innings. He scored 1 century and 3 fifty’s while also scalped 14 wickets in the D Division kanga league.
He also went onto display his heroics in the Summer Vacation Tournament scalping 5 for 27 with his left arm spin to ensure his team marked through to the semi finals.
In the end of Mumbai Cricket calendar he played for KRP11 in the Kanga Knockout Tournament ensuring in 5 rounds he scored 263 runs and took 11 scalps for his team. He batted like a champion in the finals too when the wickets were falling consistently he ensured to hold one side and batted with wagged tail scoring a match winning 104 in the finals of knockout tournament. This performance of Rakesh Naik did not only ensure KRP 11 to emerge as Champion for the first time for their Club owner but he also became captain to lead in G”Div which is called the league of deaths. He has also lead Serco Ltd in Times Shield B div.
Rakesh Naik has scored 4 centuries and 7 fifties in the last calendar year while scalping 26 wickets displaying great ingredients for an outstanding all rounder leading teams across all formats.
Wishing Rakesh Naik all the very best for this calendar year and wishing him many more centuries and five-fers to come.
CRICKETGRAPH
Cricket lovers who are passionate for the sport will never leave their connection with the game and Prashant Shetty, Jagdish Chavan and Sandesh Paralkar are three examples. These three people who have a rich background in cricket this time decided to give it back to cricket by developing a one of its kind indoor cricket nets academy for budding cricketers which got opened on 31st July.
To introduce these 3 founders, Prashant Shetty has been an ex-Ranji Cricketer and also the coach of the Mumbai U/14 and U/16 teams for 7 years. He is also the coach of the upcoming batting sensation Prithvi Shaw. Jagdish Chavan who is a good friend of Sachin Tendulkar was a fast bowler who went to MRF Pace Foundation in his playing days while Sandesh Paralkar on the other hand played for MCA Colts, Worli Cricket Club “A” Div and currently the skipper of BMC Cricket team.
When asked Prashant Shetty on what was the motivation to open this facility he quipped there are very few indoor nets for practice in Mumbai and during rains(off-season) players find it difficult to practice and that was the reason to open it for the young players to practice.
Prashant Shetty who is now a banker ensures he gives maximum time towards the sport he loves and when we asked him to share more details about the nets we got to know- this is one of the very few Indoor Cricket Nets in Mumbai to also have a bowling machine. The balls can be delivered at a maximum speed of 135kmph while you can also face bouncers and tweak the line and length for practicing.
A bowling machine like this is good for drills and to practice specific shots while it is also essential for the skill development of a player. Another USP of this place is, even the fast bowlers can have a full run up here unlike other places where pacers have to shorten their run-ups.
At present equipped with 3 Nets and named Jayshree Janardan Shirsekar indoor Cricket academy, it’s open between 7am to 9pm and it’s already getting popular amongst cricket lovers and professional players!
Being a wicket keeper is a mentally and physically tough job, you have to stand all the time & every ball of the innings vigilantly. You have to be athletic and quick enough to take tough catches, you have to dive and field really well and a wicket keeper is always on toes never sitting idle in a match. In fact they are the busiest on the field and what’s more they also have to chip in with the bat down the order and help their team reach a decent total or help their teams chase totals. So definitely to be a wicket keeper you have to be a step ahead than the others when it comes to fitness, temperament and agility.
Coming from the bylanes of Masjid Bandar from a humble background and his father being a salesman, 14yr Old Owais Shaikh is the quintessential example of cricketing talent found in remote corners of Mumbai. He is one such player who has shown a lot of potential to become a sturdy keeper batsman. Since the time he has started playing in U14 MCA Tournaments, Owais has always been the first choice wicket keeper for whichever teams he represents. It’s because he hardly misses catches behind the stumps while he is also quite an athletic fielder. What’s more right handed Owais who bats usually at no.4 or below has time and again proved that he is not just a keeper but a proper wicket keeper batsman rescuing his teams with the bat on numerous occasions.
Playing for Rizvi team, he has scored hundreds and half centuries in big tournaments like Worli Cup, Giles Shield, Harris Shield and many more. Owais has always averaged 40+ with the bat which is quite a rarity for a keeper and as far as his 2018 is concerned he averages above 50.00 with the bat while equally effective behind the stumps.
Rizvi School who are known to churn out cricketing talents has given one more talent in Owais as he gives his best despite the lack of financial support even though he has a very supportive family with his father being the most passionate for his son to become a cricketer.
Owais himself wishes to play for the Mumbai team at the state level as well as one day don the Indian Colors as he keeps on practicing hard to hone his wicket-keeping skills.
Owais Shaikh statistics in 2018 (In MCA Matches)
Owais Shaikh (RHB)
| Name- | Owais Shaikh (RHB)14yrs old |
| Matches– | 21 (21innings) |
| Runs- | 1164 |
| Average- | 58.20 |
| 50’s- | 8 |
| 100’s- | 3 |
| Catches- | 60 |
| Stumpings– | 40 |
| Best- | 127 |
CRICKETGRAPH
When it comes to sports, no matter which sports a athlete plays but there is always a question that goes on in his head “How can I prepare well for the upcoming match?” “What to eat & what not to eat?”
These questions are rather half answered or go unanswered when we talk about athletes who compete at a local/club level. As we know, majority of our athletes/sports players compete at a local level go on to achieve high stages in the future, but this incomplete knowledge at the local level regarding pre-match nutritional and physical (workout programs) preparation hinders the growth of many talented players at the local/club level. This ignorance may sometimes cause a player his career by suffering injury and not performing at the optimal level.
“Like a car, the food is your fuel, and the body is your engine. Make sure you keep them both in the best condition before a long drive”.
Here are some of the basic tips I as a trainer let my students follow so that they don’t lack in terms of nutritional & physical strength while performing.
One day before competition / Match Day
- Focus on food high in carbohydrate and relatively low in fat.
- Avoid high-fat foods such as fried foods, chips, cake & chocolates.
- Eat good & heavy breakfast (e.g. – toast, oatmeal, cereal, milk & fruits)
- Have Sandwiches, Rolls (whole wheat), pasta or rice for lunch. You can also have noodles or potatoes.
- Avoid any new foods (which you haven’t had before/ not familiar to your digestive system)
- Have small frequent meals rather than a single large meal.
- Drink extra 500ml (16Oz) of water in a day.
Immediately before Match/competition
- Should focus on meals providing carbohydrates & fluids.
- Consume high carbohydrate, low fat meal 3-4 hours before exercising or competition.
- Light carbohydrate snack (e.g. – Dark chocolate, fruit) can be consumed just before the match in small quantity.
- 200 to 300 grams of carbohydrate should be consumed pre-competition.
- Drinking 5 to 7 ml per kg of body weight of water or sports beverage at least 4hours before practice or competition.
- Drinking an additional 200-300ml of water 10-20 minutes before practice or competition.
- Avoiding foods high in fiber or foods that cause stomach issues.
During Competition/ Match Day
- Carbohydrate based beverages have shown to improve performance in athletes consuming it during competition.
- Avoid dehydration and avoid mental and muscular fatigue that can be caused by inadequate carbohydrate.
Post Competition/Post Match (Recovery Phase)
- Immediately consume carbohydrates to enhance energy. This will replenish the depleted muscle glycogen stores. (Glucose in the muscle)
- Within next few hours consume foods rich in complex carbohydrates & proteins such as oats, sweet potato, dates, protein bars, eggs, protein shakes, chicken , fish, paneer, tofu, etc.)
Personal Observations:-
Following the above given routine throughout the competition phase has shown to double the chances of a player to perform well in a competition/match.
If certain routines are lacking in a player he/she may slow down and have lack of concentration during the match.
Conclusion:-
In sports, especially in cricket where a player has to spend 7-8 hours per day in a test/one-day match, he/she may suffer from the symptoms of dehydration, muscle cramps etc. when there is a lack of awareness and negligence by a cricketer or his trainer while preparing for competition.
Since, you’ve reached the bottom of this article most of you must have figured out to make your own routine around the competing days. I hope it make a positive difference in your performance and affect you in a positive way. Fitness is a choice, so whoever does it in a correct way will be reaping its benefits. All the best, I hope you will be seeing yourselves as better sportsmen/cricketers from here on.
Points to Consider/Refer
“Please note: – Consult a physician if you are allergic to any of the below and above mentioned foods recommended in this article”
1gram carbohydrate= 4calories
1gram fat= 9calories
1gram protein= 4calories
Nutritional breakdown of some of the recommended foods (approximate figures per 100 grams of consumption)
| Potato | Rice | Oats | Eggs | Fish | Paneer | Chicken | |
| Calories | 77 | 130 | 38 gms | 155 | 206 | 265 | 151 |
| Carbohydrates | 17 gms | 28 gms | 66 gms | 1.1 | 0 | 1.2 gms | 0 |
| Proteins | 2 gms | 2.7 gms | 17 gms | 13 gms | 22 gms | 18.3 gms | 31 gms |
| Fats | 0.1 gms | 0.3 gms | 7 gms | 11 gms | 12 gms | 20.8 gms | 3 gms |
Arun Yadav has compromised a lot and continues to do so till date for his passion: cricket.
He is a well known all rounder who can contribute with bat when asked to and bowls a decent pace with a good out swingers. Currently represents DY Patil A division in times shield and at club level he plays for DY Patil A division. In the past he has played for Route SMS and Future group.
At 26, he left a well paid job with Route SMS to focus full time on cricket and joined DY Patil. He stays at Airoli and trains under the Coach Ajay Kadam.
V3 sports a cricket brand from Mumbai, spotted Arun in one the matches and ever since then V3 has been sponsoring his cricket gear; bats, gloves and pads to be precise. He is currently looking for a shoe sponsor.
Arun Yadav has represented Arcs Andheri in the recently concluded Mumbai T20 league and hopes to make it big in the cricket circle.
Swapnil Salvi and Neil Narvekar both school mates play cricket for different clubs in Mumbai however they get united overseas and play for the same team in a cricket league in US.
A while back in 2016, Swapnil Salvi played for a cricket club in U.S, 22 yards cricket club and did really well for himself in the Washington league. in one of the matches he completely decimated their opponent team – Potomac cricket club. Potomac cricket club was both dejected and impressed. However the dejection didn’t last long and they were so impressed with his performance that they stole (bought) Swapnil from 22 yards and got him to play for their own team in 2017.
Swapnil stayed true to his reputation and again performed well for Potomac Cricket Club in 2017.
Potomac asked Swapnil for any more references of cricketers to represent their club. And Swapnil without any hesitation referred Neil Narvekar and Neil too landed with a contract from the same club.
Cut to present (2018) both Swapnil & Neil continue their dominance in the US cricket league playing against some big international cricketers like Asif & Abdur Rehman from Pakistan.
We wish both the mumbaikar cricketers long lived friendship & success in cricket.
Renowned Coach Umesh Patwal will be away from Mumbai for next 2 Months.
He is on an Assignment as a Batting Coach to the Afghanistan National Cricket Team.
Afghanistan will be Playing against Ireland and Participate in the Upcoming Asia Cup
This would be Umesh’s third Assignment with Afghanistan Cricket Team.
Back home in Mumbai he runs ithinksportz cricket academy Mumbai