VCA Civil Lines’ chance of hosting eves domestic KO ties ‘brightens’

  

 

The Old Stadium illuminated with floodlights

 

By Paritosh Pramanik

WITH Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Civil Lines getting upgraded with floodlights, there are possibilities of the venue hosting women’s white-ball knock-out matches in coming days.
In less than two months, VCA has upgraded the Civil Lines Stadium with the Lux LED lights which will now fulfil BCCI’s demand of hosting women’s domestic knock-out matches under lights.
The testing of lights were held on Thursday night and there was a bright glow all over the spherical venue.
Talking with ‘The Hitavada’, VCA Chief Executive Officer Farokh Dastoor said that the floodlights are installed at a cost of around Rs four crores.
“There was a need for lights on the ground. There were many factors which compelled the association to upgrade the facilities. With the BCCI making it compulsory to hold women’s knock-out matches under lights we decided to have one at one of the oldest venues of the country,” said Dastoor.
Chennai-based Lighting Technology in collaboration with a Russian firm installed the four towers and the LED light panels.
“A total of 192 LED lights have been installed with each tower having 48 lights,” informed Dastoor.
As per ICC rules, lighting at the ground should be of 2500 Lux. But VCA went further and installed the lights of 3500 Lux, making it brighter.
(Lux is a standardised unit of measurement of light level intensity. It is commonly referred to as illuminance or illumination. One Lux is equal to the illumination of one metre square surface that is one metre away from a single candle.)
Dastoor said that with the upgrade, VCA now qualifies
for hosting the knock-out matches.
“We are the only association in the country having four grounds, with one exclusively for women. The BCCI wanted all the women’s white ball knock-outs matches to be conducted under lights. Earlier, we could not host knock-outs as we had only one ground with lighting facilities (VCA Jamtha). But now we can host women’s knock-out matches at both the grounds. We hope that in the coming season, we might host women’s domestic games (U-19, U-23),” said Dastoor.
Not only the women’s matches, even other age group teams of Vidarbha will take the benefit of
training under light in the city itself.

Gurbani, who helped Vid win Ranji title with a hat-trick, moves to Maharashtra

By Paritosh Pramanik

Vidarbha’s pace bowling sensation, Rajneesh Gurbani, who helped Vidarbha win their maiden Ranji Trophy title with a hat-trick in the 2018 final, has decided to part ways with the team for better future.
Gurbani became the second cricketer from Vidarbha after Mohit Kale to move away from their home team. A couple of days ago, middle-order bat Kale moved to Pondicherry, due to job transfer.
Gurbani has decided to join Maharashtra and got the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) on Thursday.
Gurbani posted the news on his social media handle in which he wrote a lengthy thanksgiving letter.
Speaking to ‘The Hitavada’ 31-year-old Gurbani felt he has left enough cricket in him and he still dreams of playing for the country.
“I have been thinking of switching to another team (State) since last one year. This decision was not easy. I pondered over a lot and had discussions with many on this. But in the end I thought that if I have to dream of playing for India I will have to play more and take wickets. With Vidarbha, I played only seven matches in the last three years. It was frustrating,” said Gurbani, who has also played Deodhar Trophy and has taken six wickets.
“To fulfil my dream I will have to take wickets and to take wickets I will have to play as many matches as I can. When the opportunity (to play for Maharashtra) came, I decided to move. Actually, we, the players of Vidarbha, are emotionally attached with the State team. We don’t want to leave the State. But for better prospects I decided to leave one of the best teams,” added Gurbani, who made his Vidarbha debut in 2016–17 Ranji Trophy season.
The lanky right-hand pacer was candid in saying that it was frustrating sitting out of the team. “I played only seven matches in the last three years for Vidarbha and out of that we won four (Ranji) outright. But somehow I was not getting the opportunities. Later, I was not even picked in the team of 17. It was frustrating,” revealed Gurbani, who took the hat-trick in the Ranji final in Indore against Delhi.
On his best moment with Vidarbha team, Gurbani said the last wicket of Karnataka in the final (2018) was memorable. “Karnataka needed some five odd runs and I was bowling and took the last wicket, caught in gully by Apoorva Wankhade was one of the most memorable moments for me till date,” narrated Gurbani who has 111 First Class wickets under his belt which included seven five-fors and one 10-wicket haul.
In that match, Gurbani took twelve wickets including career-best figures of 7-68 in the second innings.
Gurbani was the highest-wicket taker for Vidarbha in the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season, with 39 dismissals from six matches.
The medium-pacer also played Duleep Trophy (India Red) in 2018. In the opening match, he snared seven wickets for 81 runs, and was named the man of the match.
Gurbani has also played the Deodhar Trophy (India C) in the 2018-19 season.

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Gurbani’s post on Instagram

 

I write this with utmost gratitude towards VCA for giving me the opportunity to serve them as a cricketer for the past over 9 years. Having won the Ranji Trophy and Irani Trophy titles for Vidarbha twice, taking a hat-trick for VCA in the Ranji Trophy final and being a member of this amazing team has been the best memory till date.
However, today with immense humility and a heavy heart, I have decided to part ways with Vidarbha Cricket Association keeping in mind my personal growth and other great opportunities coming my way.
I feel there is a lot of cricket left in me and my services can be better utilised by other teams around the country.
Playing and sharing the dressing room with legends of the game- Faiz Fazal, Wasim Jaffar Sir and Umesh Yadav has been very special for me. I have learnt a lot under their guidance, and their hard work and dedication has always inspired me a lot. I would also like to thank the entire VCA team members who are also my dear friends for always believing in me and having a positive and friendly environment on and off the field.
Grateful to VCA management for all the support given and I hope our paths cross again in future! Until then, signing off. All the best for the upcoming season.

Middle-order batter Kale parts ways with Vidarbha

 

 

Joins Pondicherry and hopes to play against Vidarbha in coming season

 

n By Paritosh Pramanik

MIDDLE-ORDER batter Mohit Kale has decided to part ways with Vidarbha and is aiming to play for Pondicherry in the coming BCCI’s domestic season.
The talented right-handed batter, who joined the Income Tax Department in Chennai a year ago has been transferred to Pondicherry.
Despite his job in Chennai, Kale continued to play for Vidarbha till last season.
With a new assignment and new State, Kale decided to part ways with Vidarbha for good.
The 27-year-old got the No Objection Certificate from Vidarbha Cricket Association on Tuesday evening.
Kale will be aiming to get into the Pondicherry cricket team and try his luck in the coming Ranji Trophy season.
“I got my NOC today only. I want to represent Pondicherry in the coming season, hence I had to take the NOC. Till now, even though I was appointed in the Income Tax Department in Chennai, I continued to play for, and in Vidarbha in the local tournaments,” Kale told ‘The Hitavada’.
It was one of the most difficult decisions when Kale decided to switch States. “For the past 4-5 months I have been thinking about this. It was not easy to part ways with the State which gave me everything. But I had no choice,” said Kale, who has won U-19 and U-23 titles for Vidarbha and was captain of the age group sides for around six years.
“It’s not easy to lead a State team for six years. Vidarbha Cricket Association showed faith in me and trusted in my abilities and handed over the teams to me,” Kale stated.
“I think I justified their trust,” he added.
With competition in Vidarbha too stiff, Kale did not get much of an opportunity in the Vidarbha Ranji team. But whenever he got the chance, he tried to prove his selection. Kale made his debut for Vidarbha Ranji team in 2019 and has a century (138 runs) under his belt which he scored against Rajasthan.
“As compared to Vidarbha, the competition in Pondicherry will be far less. Being a Ranji and Irani Trophy winner has its own weightage. I am sure I will prove myself and get selected in the Pondicherry Ranji team,” hoped Kale whose cricketing journey with Vidarbha started with Under-13 teams.
Kale was thankful to VCA for the player and person he is today.
“VCA has been very kind to me in my journey. The association gave everything to me and helped me in every possible way. It is because of the association’s support that I could reach this far in my career. I would like to thank each and every member of VCA for their support,” said Kale.
If all goes well, ‘Pondicherry’s Kale’ would be facing Vidarbha in the coming Ranji and Syed Mushtaq Ali as both the teams are placed in the same group of the domestic tournaments.
“Hope I get a chance to play against my home side,” Kale concluded.

 

City’s Divya is World Junior Chess Champion

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, June 13, 2024

SHE was determined to become world junior champion and Nagpur’s International Master (IM) Divya Deshmukh added another trophy to her already overflowing cupboard after she claimed the World Junior Girls’ Chess Crown at the Gift City Club in Gandhinagar on Thursday.

In the final round, 18-year-old Divya beat Grand Master Beloslava Krasteva of Bulgaria to emerge as the clear champion.

“I was determined to win the World Junior Championship. I had prepared well for the competition and my hard work paid,” said an elated Divya while sharing her happiness with ‘The Hitavada.’

Divya was on a winning spree. She had just tasted title success last month when she annexed the Sharjah Challengers in Sharjah.

Continuing her title winning spree, Divya, who was seeded top, justified her billing as she finished with 10 points out of a possible 11 and remained unbeaten, winning nine games and drawing two.

Over 100 players from 27 countries participated in the competition.

The Nagpur girl had a half-a-point lead over Mariam Mkrtchyan of Armenia after seven rounds. IM Divya, with and elo of 2456, then defeated fellow Indian Sachi Jain in the penultimate round to take her tally to nine points.

It was a dominant performance from Divya who maintained the sole lead in the last five rounds. It was a memorable tournament for the daughter of Dr Jitendra and Namrata, who remained unbeaten throughout the tournament to claim her maiden World Junior girl’s chess championship title.

Divya took the advantage of playing at home and defeated opponents on her way to the top.

“Yes, playing at home is always helpful but yes I had to fight for this crown,” Divya shared her views with this newspaper.

Though she lifted the winner’s trophy aloft with a satisfactory smile on her face, the competition was “exhaustive” for Divya whose confidence started growing after her win in the sixth round.

“It was an exhaustive competition but my confidence grew after I defeated WIM Allahverdiyeva Ayan of Azerbaijan in the sixth round,” added the newly-crowned junior world champion.

In the final round, the immensely gifted Divya, playing with white pieces, started brilliantly and had a great opportunity to surge ahead. 

According to reports, a Queen Pawn opening by the Divya resulted in a slightly better middle game against Beloslava. 

The constant pressure that she exerted helped Divya increase her advantage, significantly weakening the black’s pawn structure.

The exchanges did not bother Divya as in the ensuing Queen and Rook endgame, the Indian pocketed a pawn making Beloslava’s king vulnerable. 

A timely exchange was about to reach a completely winning king and pawns endgame for Divya when the Bulgarian called it a day.

Divya has now joined the elite list of Indian women chess players who have won the Under-20 world titles earlier. She is now the fourth Indian women player to win the championships after Koneru Humpy (2001), Dronavalli Harika (2008) and Soumya Swaminathan (2009).

BOX

DIVYA’S ROAD TO TOP OF THE WORLD

Beat WCM Anupam M Sreekuma

Beat Sherali Pattnaik

Beat WIM Tejaswini G

Drew with WIM Hryzlova Sofiia

Beat Abdinova Narmin

Beat WIM Allahverdiyeva Ayan

Drew with WIM Mkrtchyan Mariam

Beat Norman Kseniya

Beat WGM Rakshitta Ravi

Beat WFM Sachi Jain

Beat WGM Krasteva Beloslava