They came and left, shaking their heads in amazement. As many as 200 U-16 and U-19 cricketers arrived at the MIG Cricket Club ground in Bandra (East) at 6:45 am for Day One of the Mumbai Cricket Association's summer vacation trials yesterday, but were forced to return home as the ground and pitches were wet
Arjun Tendulkar
Aspiring U-19 cricketer Arjun Tendulkar walks away from the MIG Cricket Club ground in Bandra East yesterday after a wet ground forced the cancellation of Day One of the MCA trials. Pic/Subodh Mayure
They came and left, shaking their heads in amazement. As many as 200 U-16 and U-19 cricketers arrived at the MIG Cricket Club ground in Bandra (East) at 6:45 am for Day One of the Mumbai Cricket Association's summer vacation trials yesterday, but were forced to return home as the ground and pitches were wet.
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Monday is the day when grounds all over Mumbai are watered, so it's an off-day for all coaching activities. This is a known fact. Yet, the MCA decided to kick off this year's scheme on a Monday.
One of the numerous players at the Bandra venue was Sachin Tendulkar's son Arjun, a Mumbai U-16 player, now an U-19 aspirant. MIG Cricket Club secretary Amit Dani told mid-day that his club had informed the MCA a week ago that the ground would not be available on Monday due to maintenance. For Rajendra Talpade, the MCA-appointed coach at MIG Cricket Club U-19 centre, it was a unique experience. “I have been involved in summer vacation coaching for the last 20 years, but for the first time I witnessed players going home due to wet conditions,” Talpade told mid-day yesterday.
A similar situation was experienced at Jolly Gymkhana centre in Ghatkopar, where former Mumbai fast bowler Vishal Mahadik was scheduled to kick off his U-19 selection trials. “As the pitches were not ready, I took down names of the boys alongwith details of their cricketing skills,” said Mahadik. MCA Joint Secretaries Dr PV Shetty and Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar did not respond to mid-day's calls.
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