It’s always difficult to play leather ball cricket against players who are mentally, physically and by age bigger than you as they are more tactical, more powerful and more experienced. Even the god of cricket Sachin at the age of 17 got early jitters in his debut match when he was made to face the powerful Pakistani pace bowling attack. Almost similar was the case with the 17yr old Jayesh too as he played in Kanga against a team full of experienced players elder to him.
Played at the Cross Maidan between Sunder CC and Young Stars Marine Drive, Young Stars elected to bowl first considering their strong bowling attack spearheaded by skipper Rohan Sadarjoshi who is in excellent form with the ball. However, Sunder CC did a better job with the bat than what Young Stars may have expected from them as they declared their innings on 233/8 in 68.4 overs. 17yr old right handed opener opener Jayesh Mhatre was the highest scorer while the rest of the batsman kept on throwing wickets after giving starts. Jayesh displayed solid batting and patience as he scored 89 off 141balls which included 10 fours. Jayesh kept his calm while the other batsman struggled to make big scores. For a 17yr old to play with such a cool head against quality bowling attack is definitely promising. From the bowling side Sandeep Ingle took 3/74 while Bharat and Swapnil took 2wkts each.
Young Stars scored 74/5 and batted for 25 overs before the end of the game’s play where the match was declared drawn as no 1st innings result could be obtained. Even though no one won the match but it was surely this young 17yr old Jayesh who left behind an impression with his solid batting.
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Played at the Worli Sports Club in Mumbai, it was a match between two promising teams namely Regent CC and Taki CC where in Regent CC won the toss and elected to field first expecting the pitch to have some support for the bowlers.
Batting first, Taki CC bowled out for 130 and Regent’s decision to bowl first was definatly spot on. Left arm spinner Vivek Tatkare on his debut took 6 wickets while giving away only 37 runs in a spell of 14.4 overs out of which 3 were maidens. Tatkare was well supported by skipper off-spinner Suhas Nandoskar (2 for 24) & Prasad Rahate (2 for 30). Rupeshe Borade(42) was the top scorer for Taki while the rest of the batsman failed to make much of an impact.
Regent cc chased down the target comfortably thanks to this 18 years left-handed opening batsman Mithilesh Nachare who scored a brilliant 56 runs in just 94 balls with the help of 6 fours on a detoriated wicket. In the last match also against Navroz cc too, Mithilesh scored a wonderful knock of 58 runs and continued his form from the last match. For Taki cc spin duo of pralhad Mokashi (3 for 36) & Rupesh Naik (3 for 33) bowled superbly but in the end Mithilesh took Regent cc on a winning path with his matured display of batting. Also this was young Mithilesh’s only 3rd innings of kanga league career and he is looking so promising. Regent CC won the match but it was definitely this 18yr old Mithilesh and the wily spinner Tatkare who left behind a great impression.
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Played at the Central Maidan in Thane, it was a match between two really promising teams comprising of not only talented lawyers but also cricket loving players. Thane D Champions XI won the toss and elected to bat first and put Thane Strikers under pressure by posting a nice total on the board.
Even though the openers failed to give a flying start, it was their no.3 batsman Manoj Sonawane who scored a gem of a knock to resurrect his team’s innings back into the game. It was a perfect no.3 knock for a batsman coming in at no.3 in a T20 match as Manoj mixed aggression with proper running between the wickets to keep the scorecard ticking. Manoj who played at a very healthy strike rate of almost 170 smashed 15fours and a six as he scored 88 off mere 52 deliveries. Eventually, Thane D Champions posted a competitive total of 167/6 in 18 overs with the help of his innings.
Chasing 168 in 18overs is always a pressure situation in a T20 and Thane Strikers succumbed to the pressure of chasing against some tight bowling displayed by the opposition. Sanjay Gaikwad at no.4 scored a valiant 40ball 46 while the rest of the batsman hardly managed to make any impact with the bat as Thane Strikers were restricted to just 127/8 in 18 overs. Ashwath Nair with 2/10 was the pick of the bowler while Viral and Jayesh chipped in with 2wkts each. Thane D Champions XI won the match by 40runs and Manoj Sonawane was adjudged ‘man of the match’ for his match winning 88. Cricketgraph congratulates the winning team while wishes luck to all the players for their upcoming matches.
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Played at the Bengal Club at Shivaji Park in Dadar, Dashing CC and Bluestar CC clashed against each other for a crucial encounter where in Bluestar CC batted first.
Batting first, Bluestar CC declared their innings on 181/9 in 35.2 overs. Opener Jayant Satghare who earlier scored the fastest ton of this year’s Kanga during a time when the pitches were tough to bat once again played a promising knock of 53 off just 36balls(7fours, 1six). Jayant as always played in his natural game. Rohan Chaughule at no.3 also scored a timely knock of 55 off just 57balls (5fours, 1six) and stitched a crucial stand with Jayant Satghare. Rahul Kanojia and Rahul Patil took 3 & 2wkts each while the rest of the bowlers also did a good job.
In reply, Dashing CC batted really well as they scored 193/5 in 43 overs. Pranil Pawar at no.4 scored a match winning 87* off just 80balls (9fours) as he took his team towards the victory line. Dashing CC won the match on 1st innings and it was definitely Jayant, Rohan and Pranil who were impressive with the bat. Cricketgraph congratulates the winning team while wishes luck to all the players for their upcoming matches.
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Jacques Kallis has over 40 test centuries and 200+ wickets in Tests, the same record goes in ODI’s where he averages 44 with the bat with 10,000+ runs while also has over 250+ ODI wickets. Jacques Kallis is one such all rounder who can never be replaced for centuries. For once, Sachin’s batting record may get broken by Kohli or some other kid on the block but breaking South African legend Kallis’s record is going to be very very difficult and when a 16yr old boy from Mumbai is being compared to such a big iconic sportsman, the responsibility just gets bigger. Even though it may be an over statement as of now to compare the talented Ayush Jethwa to Kallis, but as far as his consistency is concerned, he is definitely proving a point. Numbers don’t lie and especially Ayush’s statistics since the last 12 months.
Ayush Jethwa who is just 14yrs old and studies in SVIS School Borivali in 8std has already played in numerous tournaments this year. From Giles Shield, Mahindra Selection shield to Payyade selection trophy to Harris shield to even the Kanga where players almost twice his age and experience play. Ayush whose favorite shot is an elegant straight drive has consistently scored runs and taken wickets at almost every game and every tournament he has got to play. And what’s more, he has fired at the right time when his team needed him the most.
From hitting a century in the semi finals along with taking a stunning 6/5 in the same match with the ball to again hitting a century in the finals of the CPCC tournament, Ayush made sure that his team need not worry when he is in the playing XI. Ayush who is still young, raw and innocent is equally a team player who not only loves to hear and implement on other’s views and opinions but is also an equal participant in taking decisions or giving his own viewpoints in a match. In fact, it is his humble attitude coupled with exceptional perfomance which has made him the skipper of the U-14 Mumbai team which is a very huge success.
Batting at an average of 50+ since the last 105innings, the ability to play calmly as well as shift gears when required, the ability to provide crucial breakthroughs and break partnerships with the ball has certainly made him a pivotal part of any team he plays for and there are hardly any all-rounders in his age group who can match the consistency at which he is playing. Even though Ayush definitely has a long journey ahead to become the next Kallis at the highest level of cricket, but from what we can see as of now, Ayush is surely showing promising signs of becoming one in the coming future.
Apart from his father Viren Jethwa who always supports Ayush in his cricketing journey, a large part of credit in his journey also goes to his coach Raju Lad sir whose earlier students have been the likes of Rohit Sharma, Siddhesh Lad, Shardul Thakkur amongst others. Seems like Raju Lad sir is once again succeeding in polishing a raw uncut diamond!
Statistics of Ayush Jethwa since the last 12 months-
| Attributes | LHB/ Left arm spinner |
| Matches- | 93 |
| Innings- | 105 |
| 50’s- | 23 |
| 100’s | 13 |
| Bat Average- | 51.01 |
| Runs- | 4453 |
| Not-outs | 18 |
| Wkts- | 123 |
| 5wh & BBI | 5times & BBI- 6/5 |
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Ravi Shastri’s famous dialogue ‘A ripper of a delivery’ when a bowler bowls a fast ball or clean bowls the stumps of the batsman has become synonymous with the cricketing commentary. Right arm fast bowler Sandesh Sawant who took a 8wkt haul which included 3 clean bowleds must have received a similar sort of praises from his team mates when he literally ran through the John Bright’s batting line up at the LIC, Cross maidan.
John Bright who won the toss and elected to bat first expected the wicket to have some support for the batsman but that was not the case as they were all out for just 104runs in 26.2 overs. Apart from their opener Deepak Bhogle(36runs) and Pratik(12runs), not a single batsman managed to score in two digits. The major reason for this fall was their fast bowler Sandesh Sawant who came up with exceptional bowling figures of 8/40 in 12.2 overs (4 maidens). Sandesh bowled in the right areas with a tight line & length which helped him bag 8wkts and make him join a list of very few players this season who have managed to grab an 8wkt haul.
Young Comrade CC who needed to win this match to qualify for the B Division somehow successfully chased down the score and declared their innings at 104/9 in 35.5 overs. Joh Bright bowlers definitely gave a tough fight as Vipin Singh and Shailesh Dubli took 4wkts each. John Bright batted for another 15 overs in the 2nd innings with the loss of one wicket before the end of the game’s play. Young Comrade CC won the match on 1st innings lead and it was definitely Sandesh’s bowling which remained the standout perfomance in the match.
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Whether you are a batter, bowler or both, there are certain injuries that you are more at risk of than others. Knee pain is one that might make you sit out on the sidelines. No cricketer wants to do that. Hence understanding why knee injuries are so prevalent and how to prevent them becomes crucial.
There are two types of cricket injuries- acute and chronic. Acute injuries are those that occur instantly for example if you are struck by a ball or if you pull/tear a muscle or ligament while turning quickly. Chronic injuries happen over time through overuse such as repetitive bowling, etc.
The most common injuries associated with the knee in cricket occur while bowling. In the landing stride, bowlers are constantly twisting and putting extreme force through the knee joint; this can then result in a strain or more severely a tear to one or more ligaments or menisci supporting the knee joint. Being the major shock absorbers of the knee joint, injury to meniscus or ligaments could lead to a cascade of early onset degenerative changes in and around the joint. This kind of injury creates pain on the inside of the knee, while squatting or bending. Meniscus injuries should not be ignored since they may aggravate if you continue to play with the injury.
Another common knee injury in bowlers is patellar tendinopathy- inflammation of the quadriceps muscle tendon mainly resulting from overuse and poor technique. Due to the pace of the sport and excessive translatory motions, there always remains a risk of injury to the muscles around the knee joint, most commonly the hamstring, quadriceps, ITB(ilio-tibial band) and popliteus muscles. Improper technique, faulty shoes and poor strength can also contribute to stress fractures in and around the knee joint and particularly the shin.
In view of the above, good mobility, strength and flexibility training should be incorporated in the exercise routine. Strength training should involve core strength, arm strength, hip, knee and ankle strengthening. This should be accompanied by a good warm up and cool down routine. Improving stability of the knee and ankle complex along with correction of faulty technique and footwear play a major part in injury prevention. Due to the high impact nature of the sport, good shock absorbing shoes with a medial arch support are suitable. Another vital part in training involves good rest periods in enhancing recovery of the player.
Cricket may not be a contact sport but injuries are common as the various actions that are involved place a strain on the body. Preventing these injuries is the ideal thing to do. You may visit your sports physiotherapist for a cricket injury risk screening and hence understand injury prevention strategies specific to you. This will enable you to stay ahead of the game. If already injured, immediate consultation with the sports physiotherapist is recommended. A thorough biomechanical analysis and speedy management will get you back in the game without any restrictions.
Some knocks remain etched in your minds for a long time, remember Sachin getting out on 99 vs Pakistan in the 2nd ODI at Chandigarh where Umar Gul dismissed him while Sachin tried taking a run? Well, Rohit Rudra also played a similar sort of an innings where he and his team mates may remember his knock of 99 for a long time. Played at the MB Union CC, Cross Maidan, Goregaon SC won the toss and decided to put MB Union to bat first.
Their decision was quite spot on as they restricted MB Union CC to just 147runs all out in 37 overs. Prathamesh Golatkar (52) and Rakesh Naik (32) fought hard to resurrect their innings back but Goregaon bowlers did a really good job. The standout bowlers was definitely this left arm spinner Prakash Solanki who bagged 7wkts in his spell of 18overs while giving 68runs. Left arm spinner Prakash displayed a healthy spin bowling as he kept on bowling in the right areas which helped him to take wickets consistently.
In reply, Goregaon SC batted really well as they scored 215/6 in 52.4 overs before the end of the game’s play. Opener Rohit Rudra (99runs, 10fours, 5sixes) fell just 1run short of what could have been an amazing ton as he batted really well hitting some glorious cricketing shots en-route his 105ball stay at the crease. It was off spinner Sandeep Naik who was the perpetrator for Rohit’s dismissal at 99 as he castled Rohit with a stumping. The rest of the batsman chipped in with 20’s and 30’s which eventually helped them to win the match on 1st innings. It was a match dominated by Goregaon SC where in Rohit’s classy 99 and Prakash’s 7wkts remained the highlight performances of the match. With this 7wkts, Prakash took his tally of wickets to 22 which makes him the 2nd highest taker in the D Div of Kanga. Also Goregaon SC with this win have become the D Div champions of the Kanga League.
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Played between SKP Atheletics and Canara Vijay at Goregaon Sports Club, Canara Vijay won the toss and elected to bat first expecting the pitch to have some support for the batsman since the rains are over.
Canara’s decision to bowl first was definitely spot on at one point of time as they restricted SKP boys to just 78/5 at one stage. But soon things changed as the aggressive Lokesh Patney at no.6 turned the script of the game to his team’s favor again. Left-handed Lokesh went on to score an unbeaten 100* off mere 74balls making it the 2nd fastest ton of Kanga this season. Lokesh literally counter attacked the bowlers as he smashed 8fours and 5sixes at a strike rate of 135+. Kunal also gave a handy contribution along with Lokesh as he scored 39 at no.7 taking their team total to 240/8 declare. Left arm spinner Ajay Mishra was the pick of the bowlers taking 3/86 while Sarvesh and Virag took 2wkts each.
Canara Vijay in reply were all out for just 146runs despite a good start from the top 3 batsman. Opener Vishal Jain top scored with a 50 while the rest of the batsman failed to make much of an impact. Left-arm spinner Mihirkumar Shah was terrific with the ball as he came up with impressive bowling figures of 5/32. Mihir bowled really tight in the right areas which reaped dividends for him as well as for his team. SKP batted for just 3overs in their 2nd innings before the end of the game’s play where the match was declared drawn. SKP athletics won the match on 1st innings but it was definitely these two players who played a big role in it. Cricketgraph congratulates the winning team while wishes luck to all the players for a great season ahead.
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Played at the Police Gymkhana at Marine Lines, it was a match between two powerful teams namely Sind SC and Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy where in SIND SC won the toss and elected to bat first as they equally have a very good batting line up.
Opener Akhil Rajput who scored 98 in his last outing once again gave a good start with 43 while the young Yash Nahar(67 off 93b) and the in-form Alpesh Ramjani (82 off 120balls) once again displayed their solidity with the bat as both the players really played some amazing shots. The show was not over yet as Chinmay Sutar at no.5 went on to score an unbeaten 100* off just 117balls smashing 9fours and 4sixes to take his team to a healthy total of 356/6 in 70 overs. Chinmay kept the scorecard ticking as he smashed some glorious shots en route his unbeaten century.
No doubt, SIND SC batted well but they had a opposition which has a equally strong batting line up and more than that a in-form batsman in Shubham Ranjane who scored 166 just a week ago in his last match. The openers gave a steady start while Aman played his natural game too but it was Shubham once again at no.4 who cruised his team towards the victory line. Shubham scored 129* off just 135balls smashing 13fours and 4sixes while also stitched a mammoth 214run stand with Yogesh Takwale who scored a fabulous 95 off 109balls falling just 5runs short of a deserving hundred. DY Patil eventually surpassed Sind’s team total as they scored 361/4 and won the match by 6wkts. It was a head to head encounter where in there were a lot of positives right from Chinmay’s ton to Shubham’s back to back tons to Yogesh’s superb 95. Cricketgraph congratulates these 3while wishes luck to all the players for their upcoming matches.
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