Wankhade shining in UK 1st Div league.jpg

Hits two tons and as many fifties to take Dulwich to 4th spot in 10-team table

By Paritosh Pramanik

NAGPUR, July 7, 2024

VIDARBHA’S power-hitting batter Apoorva Wankhade is tonking the balls in the United Kingdom.

Playing for Dulwich Cricket Club in the Surrey Championship, Wankhade has till date scored a couple of centuries and as many fifties for his side.

Wankhade had to sit out of the entire last season as he got injured during the VCA 

selection tournament—Bapuna Cup.

“I suffered with an ACL Ligament injury last year and had to sit out the whole season. It took five months to recover. Now, I am fully fit and ready for the challenges ahead,” Wankhade told ‘The Hitavada’ from Dulwich, on Saturday.

In the championship, Wankhade slammed 89 runs against Normandy Cricket Club. Batting first, Dulwich scored 215 from 43.5 overs with Wankhade hammering 78-ball 89 which had eight boundaries and four maximums. Normandy managed to post 213-8 in 50 overs.

In the other match, the lanky batter cracked a fine 128 from 114 deliveries, clobbering six sixes and nine boundaries which helped Dulwich crush  Walton on Thames Cricket Club by five wickets.

Dulwich chased down the target of 179 in 46.5 overs with Vidarbha’s Wankhade emerging the match’s highest scorer.

“The championship is played in a unique format. A team has to play 18 matches. Nine matches are played in 50-overs-per-side format and remaining nine in 120-overs-per-side. “Top two finishers move to the upper division,” informed Wankhade, who had hit his second century in the 120 overs format against Beddington Cricket Club.

Coming in at No 4, Wankhade continued his aggressive game and hit 121 runs from just 87 deliveries which helped his side post 267 all out in 56.3 overs.

Wankhade’s 121, highest for his side, was laced with 14 sweetly-timed boundaries and four sixes.

Wankhade felt that his good show in the UK will help him get his place back in the Vidarbha team. “My job is to score runs and I am doing that. If I have a bulk of runs under my belt it would help me in getting back into Vidarbha side. I still have  some 14-15 matches left here and will score runs in tons,” said  a confident Wankhade as he signed off to play for another match, this time against Old Hamptonians Cricket Club.