Juniors give UP cricket fraternity a reason to cheer

UPCA had honoured the UP under-14 junior boys team which emerged Central Zone champion and won the Raj Singh Dungarpur Trophy 2011-2012 and the UP under-19 team which won the Vinoo Mankad Trophy 2011-2012.

Though Uttar Pradesh may not have been able to make it to the knock-outs of the Ranji Trophy for two seasons now but the new year has brought good news for the states cricket fraternity as its junior team has been able to win the under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy cricket tournament at Nagpur today. The juniors have given the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) and the state cricket fraternity a reason to cheer about. In December last year,the UPCA had honoured the UP under-14 junior boys team which emerged Central Zone champion and won the Raj Singh Dungarpur Trophy 2011-2012 and the UP under-19 team which won the Vinoo Mankad Trophy 2011-2012. Now it is the turn of the UP under-16 team.

Talking to The Indian Express UP under-16 teams coach Ratnesh Mishra said, The players are very excited as UP has been able to win this trophy after a gap of almost nine years. Though today,which was the third and last day of the final match,the boys knew that they will be able to lay hands on the trophy by virtue of a first innings lead in a match heading towards a draw,but the manner in which the team played today has added to the confidence level of the players. With UP triumphing at the under-14,under-19 and the under-16 level in one season,I am hopeful that BCCI could honour UP for the being the best state team at the junior level.

Ratnesh said that reason for the UP team excelling was that it played with a planned approach. The batting and bowling of the team was brilliant throughout. Though the fielding was not as good at the start of the tournament but that too improved as the tournament progressed.

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When asked to name some players who were the architects of UPs win the final,Ratnesh said,I would give the credit to the fast bowlers in particular. Pacers Shubham Mavi (3 for 62) and Amit Pal (4 for 65),who have emerged as the highest wicket-takers,ensured that Jharkhand team was all out at a total of 183 runs in their first innings on a good batting wicket. UP had scored 260 runs in the first innings and it was not a difficult task to surpass it but the bowlers stopped the opponents from doing so.

The way UP batted in the second innings has increased the morale of the team. M Saif and Rahul Rawat scored impressive centuries for the team, he further added.

Junior selection committee chairman Shashikant Khandekar said, It is the first time UP has won so many trophies at the junior level in one season. There are some players in the under-16 team like M Saif,Rahul Rawat,Rishabh Mishra,Shubham Mavi and Amit Pal who are full of talent. This victory has proved that there is a good cricket nursery here. Director UPCA Jyoti Bajpai said that it was a very positive sign for UP cricket that after winning the under-14 and the under-19 level,UP has won the under-16 trophy as well.

Seasoned cricket coach Deepak Sharma said, I am excited that after a long gap UP won the trophy. I have all the more reason to feel happy about as my trainee Saif excelled with the bat.

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Brief Scores:-Uttar Pradesh 1st Innings: 260 all out; Jharkhand 1st Innings: 183 all out; Uttar Pradesh 2nd innings: 449 for seven (Rahul Rawat 151,M Saif 115 not out,Rishabh Mishra 71,Mohit Yadav 36,Sonu Singh 4 for 77).

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