Cricketgraph’s interview with “Mr.Fitness” aka Amogh Pandit was quite informative.
Amogh is hailed as one of the top Strength & Conditioning Coaches in India. He is serving as Strength and Conditioning Coach with Mumbai Ranji Team for the last 17 years.
Amogh has also served as Strength and conditioning coach for Rajasthan Royals (Indian premier league). He has also been a conditioning specialist with India A team. Amogh is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with top level certifications like CSCS the NSCA, USA.
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.
The 11th T-10 Late-Zaheer Shaikh Memorial Trophy commenced at Nerul Gymkhana on May 23, 2024, heralding a knockout tournament featuring 10 teams. The inaugural match between One Solution and Hercules set a record straight from the start, witnessing a staggering total of over 340 runs.
Upon winning the toss, Hercules elected to field first, initiating a relentless onslaught. One Solution faced a barrage of powerful hits, with their confidence shattered as they managed to post a formidable 228 runs within their allotted 10 overs. The match witnessed a barrage of 18 sixes and 20 boundaries, with an astonishing 38 balls sent soaring beyond the boundary line. Vaibhav Sane led the charge for One Solution, exhibiting a stellar performance with an incredible 178 runs off just 46 balls, including 17 mammoth sixes and 16 boundaries. His partner, Bablu, contributed 29 runs from 16 deliveries.
In response, Hercules faltered early, losing two wickets within the first three overs. Although they attempted a recovery during the middle overs, frequent wicket losses limited them to a modest total of 117 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs.
The electrifying start to the tournament promises a thrilling competition ahead, with expectations soaring for an enthralling series of matches.
Brief Score: One Solution 228/0 in 10 overs (Vaibhav Sane 178*, Bablu 29*, Mufaddal Javeri 0/16) beat Hercules 117/6 in 10 overs ( Suhas Bagade 52, Sujal 17, Datta Mohite 3/16)
In the final of 27th MCA Ajit Naik Memorial Cricket Tournament 2023-24 Vashi Centre beat Azad Maidan Centre with first innings lead. A two-day test match that resulted in a draw saw Vashi Centre beat Azad Maidan Centre with first innings lead of 17 runs.
Batting first Azad Maidan scored 235 in 67.5 overs with the contributions of Dhairya Patil (38), Aarush Kolhe (38) and Vedang Kokate (33). Azad maidan had a steady start and were 68 fro1 but then a sudden collapse put Azad on backfoot as from 68 for 1 they went to 68 for 4 in span of 3 overs. In bowling department for Vashi Centre Shree Ganesh Dhanawde picked four wickets (4/44) and Uday Singh Johal picked 3 wickets (3/55). 235 seemed a good total and Azad Maidan Centre were in the game with this total.
While batting second Vashi Centre were struggling at 99 for 4 and then they saw one of the finest partnerships in the final of U-14 Ajit Naik Memorial Tournament. A stand of 95 runs between captain Pradnya Bhalerao (96) and Sparsh Gholap (34) made sure that Vashi were at top. Even though the bowlers of Azad Maidan Centre came back in the game but it was too late. Vashi Centre were All out for 252 runs having the lead of 17 runs, which at the end felt crucial for the win for the Vashi Centre. In the bowling department for Azad Maidan Centre Vedang Kokate picked three wickets (3/32).
The Man of the match of the final was the captain of the Vashi Centre Pradnya Bhalerao who scored 96 runs from 134 balls. On the back of his brilliant half century Vashi Centre were in the position of wining. Pradnya Bhalerao made a name for himself in the final. The bowling performance also came in handy for the Vashi Centre and with the All-round performance of the team it helps them to clinch this victory.
Brief Score: Azad Maidan Centre 1st inns 235 for 10 (Dhairya Patil 38, Aarush Kolhe 38, Vedang Kokate 33, Shree Ganesh Dhanawde 4/44, Uday Singh Johal 3/55) and 2nd inns 24 for 1. Vashi Centre 1ist Inns 252 for 10 (Pradnya Bhalerao 96, Sparsh Gholap 34, Pugazh Sundarraj 31, Vedang Kokate 3/32, Shaurya Rane 2/53)
In the final of the MCA Girls Under 19 Summer Camp T-20 Tournament, Nerul Gymkhana secured a 20-run victory over Central Railway Shivaji Park in a gripping, low-scoring encounter. Choosing to bat first after winning the toss, Nerul Gymkhana suffered a shaky start, losing two wickets within the power play and managing only 93 runs for the loss of four wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Rennie Fernandes top-scored for Nerul Gymkhana with an unbeaten 33 runs off 47 balls. Central Railway’s bowling attack, led by Samruddhi, Diksha, Kaveri, and Janhavi, shared the wickets evenly.
It seemed a low total to chase and at the half way mark Central Railway Shivaji Park were at the top and seemed they were in the game. But Nerul Gymkhana girls had other plans and what came next was an inspired spell of bowling which made the total of 93 look 193.
While chasing a low total Central Railway SP got to a bad start and were 21 for 3 at the end of powerplay. At that is where the game became interesting. After a 20-run partnership between captain Jeeya Mandrawadkar and Saanjh Patil things looked in control as they were 40 for 3 at 10 overs mark needing 53 in last 10. But then captain Mitali Mhatre of Nerul Gymkhanas broke the partnership and after that it was impossible for the Central Railway SP to come back and they were bowled out for 73 in 19.2 overs.
The tournament concluded as a resounding success, with individual awards recognizing outstanding performances. Alina Mulla of Nerul Gymkhana was awarded the Best Batter of the Tournament, while Tanvi Chavan, also from Nerul Gymkhana, was honoured as the Best Bowler. Although there was no official “Player of the Tournament” award, Nerul Gymkhana’s captain’s remarkable all-around performance, scoring 121 runs and taking five wickets in four matches, made her a strong contender. While Nerul Gymkhana dominated the trophy cabinet, the contributions of all participants were acknowledged and celebrated.
Brief Score : Nerul Gymkhana ( Rennie Fernandes 33, Gargi Naik 15, Samruddhi Ghare 1/9) beat Central Railway Shivaji Park ( Jeeya Mandrawadkar 18, Diksha Manjrekar 11, Mitali Mhatre 3/15, Rennie Fernandes 2/9) by 20 runs.
In ongoing H.D kanga Knockout Tournament Gay Cavaliers CC beat Parsee Pioneer CC by 6 wickets. It was a low scoring match of group C of Kanga Knockout played at Karnataka S.A cross Maidan.
Parsee Won the toss and elected to bat first but they got to a horrible start losing Rohan and Rugved for duck and were five for two. And it got worse and worse as they kept losing wickets. It was a late surge by Ashish and Girish down the order that helped Parsee CC reach 113 in27.5 overs. The bowling contributions came by everyone and every bowler to bowl from Cavaliers took wicket but the Major Contribution came from Raj Mandhesiya as he picked 4 for 30 in his 7 over spell. He first took wickets at the top to remove both Rohan and Rugved and then picked two of the middle order batsmen putting the hopes of a comeback to end. With Raj Mandesiya putting up a stellar performance with the ball the job of batsman’s got easier.
Chasing a modest total of 114 runs Cavaliers got to a steady start, after a 34-run opening stand another 50-run stand made their position in the match very firm. The top performance came from the top where Yadnesh Sawant scored 60 runs from 89 balls. After getting to a good start, he made sure that he stays there and play a defining knock so that the team is out of trouble. He also completed his milestone of reaching half century in making sure his team gets to the line with ease. With performance and support by Maitrik the Cavaliers won the match by 6 wickets chasing 114 in 37.4 overs.
It was a fantastic effort by both Raj and Yadnesh that helped Cavaliers for another easy won in the tournament. with this fantastic win they move ahead.
BREIF SCORE; Gay Cavaliers CC 114/4 in 37.4 overs (Yadnesh S 60, Maitrik 25, Vinod B 2/29) beat by Parsee Pioneer CC 113/10 in 27.5 overs (Girish 35, Ashish 29, Raj Mandhesiya 4/30) by 6 wickets.
Founded by Abhishek Binge and his friends in December 2022 with just 11 players, The Ancients have emerged as the most active cricket team in Mumbai. According to statistics from Cricheroes, they boast a staggering 150 players today. Remarkably, they are the only team in Mumbai to have played every Saturday and Sunday throughout the season, participating in various tournaments.
As the season draws to a close, The Ancients are geared up to host their own inaugural annual internal cricket tournament – The League of Ancients. This exciting event comprises four teams, each named after constellations: Scorpius, Draco, Lupus, and Aquila. The captain explains that these names pay homage to the timeless Ancients who existed before us.
Set against the backdrop of the illustrious Omtex ICWC Saphale, renowned for its international standard cricket facilities, the tournament promises an unparalleled experience for cricket enthusiasts. The buzz around the League of Ancients caught the attention of prominent cricket brands, with Omtex and Z-bats signing on as main sponsors. Additionally, Metashot has joined as the Man of the Series sponsor, while Active Sports and CAA have partnered with The Ancients as gifting partners. PhysioHub has also come on board as the league’s physio partner, ensuring the well-being of the players.
Abhishek Binge, the driving force behind The Ancients, not only leads the team but also manages the tournament operations. His vision is clear: to provide players with unforgettable experiences at affordable costs. The League of Ancients embodies this vision, promising cherished memories for all participants.
As The Ancients prepare to showcase their talents on the esteemed grounds of Omtex ICWC Saphale, the stage is set for a thrilling cricketing spectacle. The League of Ancients is not merely a tournament; it’s a testament to passion, camaraderie, Brotherhood and the enduring spirit of the game.
The tournament kicked off on May 12th with two matches. In the first game, Ancients Aquila faced Ancients Lupus. Aquila set a target of 145 runs, with Shubham Acharya top-scoring with 42 runs off 33 balls. In response, Lupus fell short, being all out for 105 runs in 17.2 overs. Yatish Mudaliar, with 4 wickets for 13 runs, and Captain Edward Phillip, with 3 wickets for 7 runs, led Aquila to victory.
In the second match, Ancients Scorpius clashed with Ancients Draco. Scorpius set a formidable target of 165 runs, with Sunny Jadhav’s commanding 61 runs off 49 balls leading the charge. Adding to the onslaught was Rishabh Dube, who contributed a brisk 23 off just 8 deliveries. In response, Draco’s chase concluded at 147 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Draco started strong, courtesy of Sumeet Londhe’s aggressive batting. However, despite Ashish Saroj’s valiant effort with 33 runs off 23 balls, the innings faltered. It was the combined efforts of Kunal Patel and Abhishek Binge that stemmed Draco’s momentum, sealing their fate. As a result of his stellar batting display, Sunny Jadhav was awarded the Man of the Match accolade.
With these exciting matches, the tournament began on a high note, promising more thrilling action ahead.
Brief scores:
- Aquila 145/10 (Shubham A 42, Nihal 6/2) defeated Lupus 105/10 (Amit S 38, Yatish M 14/4, Edward P 7/3) by 40 runs.
- Scorpius 165/6 (Sunny J 61, Harshit 23/2) defeated Draco 147/10 (Ashish S 33, Kunal P 12/2) by 18 runs.
In a thrilling clash at the U-23 Rathod Trophy MCA tournament, Dadar Union Sporting Club (DUSC) triumphed over Oriental Cricket Club (OCC) in a super league showdown, largely fueled by Sumit Prajapati’s exceptional bowling display. Prajapati’s dream spell saw him scalping six crucial wickets in just 3.2 overs, conceding a mere six runs with an additional maiden over. The left-arm spinner’s relentless attack dismantled OCC’s middle order, restricting them to a meager total of 65 runs before being bundled out in 12.2 overs.
With a modest target to chase, DUSC’s batsmen approached the task with confidence. Despite losing a few wickets, they comfortably chased down the total in a mere 6.5 overs, securing victory with six wickets in hand. Adding to the jubilation, it was Sumit Prajapati himself who sealed the win with a boundary, further cementing his heroics in the match.
Following this remarkable triumph, DUSC now occupies the second spot in their super league A group, boasting a commendable record of one win and one loss in two games. As they prepare to face Islam Gymkhana in their next encounter, the team finds themselves riding high on confidence, buoyed by Sumit Prajapati’s stellar performance.
Sumit Prajapati’s heroics have not only propelled DUSC to victory but have also instilled a sense of optimism and determination within the team as they march forward in the tournament.
Brief Score:OCC: 65 all out in 12.2 overs (R. Shaikh 19, S. Prajapati 6/6)DUSC: 67 runs in 6.5 overs (S. Girkar 17, SS Narayan 2/21)
In a MCA Womens Knockout match between Bombay Union Sports Club and Crescent cricket Club, Crescent Cricket Club beat Bombay Union Sports Club by 7 wickets in a 35 over match at Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana 1, Kandivali, Mumbai.
Bombay Union after winning the toss choose to bat first and after the loss of early wicket the partnership for second wicket looked solid. But what followed next was an unreal collapse.
After being 16 for 1 and then 64 for 2 things were looking good for the Bombay Unions but then wickets kept falling on regular intervals and even tough another 33-run partnership the Bombay union were bowled out for 131 in 25 overs.
Even tough it was a team effort with the ball as Swanandi, Shreya and Arya all took three (3) wickets each. Arya stole the show by taking a hattrick at the end of the innings. She got Saanjh, Jai and Shravani all on three consecutive deliveries, and from 131 for 7 Bombay Unions went to 131 all-out.
To chase the modest total of 132 the Crescent Cricket Club got to a solid start courtesy Arya the hattrick girl and Riya. They both together put a century stand for the first wicket.
In batting the star of the show was the opening batsman Riya Pawar who scored a brilliant half century in fast pace. She scored 56 runs from 63 balls hitting 9 boundaries. With the Batting Effort of Riya and Bowling Effort of Arya Crescent won the match by ease as they chased down the score in just 23 overs with 7 wickets to spare. It was also impressive as the Bombay Union team was assisted by None other than Indian Women’s teams opening batter Poonam Raut. The young Players were in aww of her and it was a great learning for them as well.
Breif Score – Bombay Unions Cricket Club 132/10 in 25 overs ( Priyadarshini 26, Arya 18/3, Shreya21/3, Swanandi 24/3) lose to Crescent Cricket Club 132/3 in 23.3 overs( Riya Pawar 56, Arya 26, Priyadarshani 10/1)
Swanandi, Shreya and Arya all took three (3) wickets ![]()
In an eventful game of cricket, Ambernath Rising Cricket Club pipped Eknath Shinde Cricket Club II by just three runs to win the coveted 12th edition of the Thane Premier League on Wednesday at the Dadoji Konddev Stadium.
Put in to bat first, Ambernath Rising Cricket Club were bowled out for a humble 125 in 19.4 overs. Amit Pandey, Aman Khan, and Dhrumil Matkar bowled well in tandem and scalped two wickets apiece. For Ambernath Rising Cricket Club, middle-order batter Shreeraj Gharat was the lone warrior in the fight as he piled up an unbeaten 50 from 41 balls, including eight hits to the fence.
Chasing 126 for championship, Eknath Shinde Cricket Club II battled hard but fell shy of just three runs in the end. They were restricted to 122/9 in 20 overs. Opening batter Aman Khan (22; 10b, 4×3, 6×1) provided a quick start but did not receive much support from the rest of his colleagues, except from Vicky Patil, who top-scored with a run-a-ball 31. Parikshit Valsangkar and Prathamaesh Mahale dazzled with the ball as they claimed three scalps each.
Ambernath Rising Club outplayed Eknath Shinde Cricket Club II in the final of the Thane Premier League to bag the championship.
In a low scoring encounter, Eknath Shinde Cricket Club II beat Thane Warriors by six wickets in the semi-final of the Thane Premier League on Tuesday at the Dadoji Konddev Stadium.
Batting first, Thane Warriors were bowled out for a paltry 105 in 16.4 overs. Left arm spinner Dhrumil Matkar did the damage with 3/8 in 3.4 overs. Matkar found able allies in Hemant Buchade and Arjun Shetty, as they claimed two wickets each. For Thane Warriors, the opening pair of Ramanpreet Singh (26; 20b, 4×3) and Jitesh Raut (33; 13b, 4×4, 6×2) made major contributions with the bat.
Chasing a modest 106 for a berth in the final of the Thane Premier League, Eknath Shinde Cricket Club II overhauled the target in 18.5 overs at the loss of four wickets. Aman Khan (33; 29b, 4×1, 6×2) and Nikhil Patil (33*; 30b, 4×1, 6×2) guided the run chase and helped their side register a comfortable win. For Thane Warriors, Khizar Dafedar was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped 2/19 in four overs.
Eknath Shinde Cricket Club II will play their sixth consecutive final of the Thane Premier League.
Ambernath Rising Cricket Club handed a crushing seven-wicket defeat to Boys Cricket Club in the semi-final of Thane Premier League on Tuesday at the Dadoji Konddev Stadium.
Asked to bat first, Boys Cricket Club posted 160/8 in 20 overs. Opening batter Aditya Rawat picked up from where he had left in the quarter-final and struck another fine half-century. Rawat muscled 69 runs from 41 balls, including four fours and five sixes. Like Rawat, Harshal Jadhav too smashed back-to-back fifties as he mustered 54 runs from 36 balls, including three fours and four sixes. For Ambernath Rising Cricket Club, Prathamesh Mahale, Parikshit Valsangkar, and Bhavin Darji scalped two wickets apiece.
In reply, Ambernath Rising Cricket Club cruised to the target in 16.4 overs at the loss of just three wickets. Anil Ronanki provided a perfect start to the run chase with a 24-ball 49, including eight fours and a six. Later, Prasad Pawar (54*; 24b, 4×3, 6×2) and Shreeraj Gharat (39*; 30b, 4×1, 6×2) completed the formalities at a canter.
With this stellar win, Ambernath Rising Cricket Club are set to play the final of the Thane Premier League.