by Chaitanya Halgekar
The Nitin Shirgurkar’s Belgaum Premier League cricket tournament is currently going on at the Union Gymnkhana grounds.
Chaitanya Halgekar will report each days events in the BPL Diary here is the first one of January 1, 2015.
Reading the 22 yards
“We will bowl first, “said Waseem Dhamanekar, captain of Super Express Vijaya, without any hesitation after winning the toss. The reason pretty simple and clear. The heavy rain of 20 minutes in the morning had done enough damage to the pitch and had made it ideal for the bowlers. The moisture on the pitch and dampness were encouraging signs for all bowlers. Any captain in the world would have done the same after winning the toss as the wet pitch causes heavy trouble to the batsmen.
However 15 minutes later when Waseem Dhamanekar led his team on the field the pitch had changed a lot. The sun, on part-time duties in the morning had finally come out and helped the pitch get dry. Three overs later, the sun was severe and it looked like nothing less than a ‘bright sunny day’. All the dampness had suddenly vanished and the bright sun turned the wicket into a batting beauty.
Eventually Super Express Vijaya lost the game by 82 runs to Belgaum Sports Club after conceding 159 runs in their 15 overs. Dhamanekar knew the wicket was not to be blamed for their defeat and it reflected in his post-match analysis.
Of the many lessons Dhamenekar learnt today at Union Gymkhana, ‘Do not take the pitch for granted’ was the most vital. It is always believed that reading a cricket pitch is not rocket science. Actually it is difficult than that. Not a single person on this planet will ever claim that he or she understood this strip of 22 yards completely.
May be that’s why Cricket is regarded as the game of glorious uncertainties. Because the 22 yards which actually decide the fate of 22 players always holds a certain degree of uncertainty and surprise in it.
Today’s results-