Many would have started following IPL 2024 now itself and read the news that England batter Harry Brook has withdrawn from IPL 2024 because his grandmother died in February and he wants to be around his family while they are grieving. We have been fed a diet that Western countries are nuclear families and people here live in Joint families – most of us know the harsh reality.
"I can confirm that I have made the very difficult decision not to play in the upcoming IPL," Brook said in a statement. "I was so excited to be picked by Delhi Capitals and was so looking forward to joining up with everyone. Whilst I don't think I should need to share my personal reasons behind this decision, I know there will be many asking why. So I do want to share this.
No post on family relationship but on finals of premier tournament –the Ranji trophy. Just in case you don’t know, all 28 states of India are represented, as are four of the eight union territories: Delhi, Chandigarh, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir (which also represents the union territory of Ladakh). In addition, four teams represent regions within states: Mumbai and Vidarbha (both within Maharashtra) and Saurashtra and Baroda (both within Gujarat); and there are two pan-Indian teams: Railways, representing Indian Railways, and Services, representing the Indian Armed Forces. The state of Telangana is represented by the Hyderabad cricket team.
India’s most icon player Kapil Dev won the Cup in 1991. The score card reads : Haryana 522 (Deepak Sharma 199, Jadeja 94, Kuruvilla 4-128) and 242 (Banerjee 60, Ankola 3-39) beat Bombay 410 (Patil 85, Rajput 74, Bhandari 5-118) and 352 (Vengsarkar 139*, Tendulkar 96) by 2 runs but the match was far more tense that what could be read.
As it has been, Bombay was the most star-studded team with Sanjay Manjrekar leading, Dilip Vengsarkar, young Sachin, Kambli all in the team. Having conceded a first-innings lead, Bombay's only hope now was an outright victory. In the fourth essay their target was : 355 in 190 minutes and 20 mandatory overs. On a fifth-day track against Kapil and Chetan Sharma, it was daunting. The improbable began to look impossible as Bombay tumbled to 34 for 3 when Sanjay Manjrekar fell at the stroke of lunch. A sizeable number of spectators left the ground - a decision they were to regret. After lunch, Sachin Tendulkar, still only 18 years old, launched a counterattack with a six over the straight field off a slower one from Kapil. It was a declaration of intent. Tendulkar then greeted left-arm spinner Pradeep Jain with another straight six. .. .. and perhaps people started pouring in.
In a stand of 134 for the fourth wicket with Dilip Vengsarkar, Tendulkar contributed 96, off 75 balls. When last man Abey Kuruvilla joined Vengsarkar, Bombay needed 49 to win. The next five balls saw Vengsarkar put Bhandari through the shredder: the scoring sequence red 6, 4, 6, 6, 4. In the next over, Vengsarkar hurled Kapil high over long-on and into the stands. Kuruvilla was no batsman yet he survived a full 25 balls after Vengsarkar had repeatedly - and somewhat inexplicably - taken singles off the first ball of successive overs, exposing Kuruvilla to the Haryana attack. Bombay had 14 balls in which to get three runs for the victory when Kuruvilla was run out following a mix-up with runner Lalchand Rajput. Vengasrkar collapsed in a heap at square leg, and Rajput and Kuruvilla froze in disappointment as the Haryana players rushed in a victory wave toward
Today at
Wankhded, on day 5, Mumbai is hot favourite to lift their 42nd
title, yet would there be a miracle, will Vidarbha pull the rug under their
feet !! Vidarbha's batters resisted
on a slow-moving fourth day. Karun Nair and Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar were
the two main obstructions that delayed Mumbai's push for a win, although Nair's
dismissal late in the day for 74 left one end of Vidarbha's batting exposed.
Two-time champions Vidarbha finished the day on 248 for 5, still 290 runs away from the 538
target.
Vidarbha's slow and careful batting on Wednesday meant Mumbai had to work hard for their five wickets, all of which fell to spin. Not willing to lose on day 4, Vidarbha batters have displayed tremendous grit and tenacity in trying to take the game long, scoring only 238 runs in 90 overs on the day at a run rate of 2.64. Karun Nair played very well striking only three fours in his 240-ball innings. Akshay Wadkar, displayed controlled aggression to finish on an unbeaten 91-ball 56 at stumps. He started his innings with two fours in his first six balls and played shots more on the merit of the deliveries. After Nair fell, Wadkar reached his 18th first-class fifty in style by slapping Tushar Deshpande for six over backward point and ensured he would return on the final day alongside the No. 7 Harsh Dubey who showed glimpses of his aggressive style by smacking a six to long-on minutes before stumps.
Will a miracle happen and will Vidarbha score those balance 290 runs with 5 wickets in hand !! - 538 no doubt is very daunting target.
In the famed Ranji Trophy finasl that I remember watching all the days in March 1982, Karnataka played first. Roger Michael Binny scored 115; Brijesh Patel 124, stylish Sudhakar Rao 71, Kirmani 116, Ranjit Kanwilkar 116 – as they were all out after 255 overs making 705. Seemingly impossible target, one thought. Ranjit Kanwilkar, an all-rounder was only 21 and was considered to be an exciting prospect, sadly died later in an accident when coaches fell into lake Ashtamudi Kayal in July 1988. Delhi bowling was in the hands of Madanlal, Mohinder Amarnath, Maninder (who went for 204 runs), Shukla and Kirti Azad.
Chasing 706 is certainly daunting – but Delhi had other plans. Raman Lamba scored 36, Gursharan Singh made 101; Surinder Amarnath fell cheaply. Kirti Azad, Surinder Khanna, Madanlal all made useful runs – Mohinder was rock steady and made 185. At one stage Delhi were 589 for 8 - 116 short………. Shulka made an unbeaten 69 and Rajesh Peter made 67 in an unbroken stand as Delhi took the lead. Hapless Binny, Khanvilkar, Vijaykrishna, Raghuram Bhat all went for 100+. As there was no rule for unfinished match, the match went into the sixth day enabling the hosts to gain first innings lead and mercifully stopped at that. ....
With regards – S Sampathkumar
14.3.2024
cricketer Ashwin had a situation to see his ailing mother in the middle of the 5th test last week. And Rohit sharma pushed him to go home immediately and even tried to organise a charter flight for Ashwin. That's extended joint family!
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