It was a memorable Saturday for Chengalpattu as players chipped in turns to help their team defeat Tiruppur by eight wickets in the final to win the TNCA inter-district Under-19 tournament title, played at the VB Nest grounds.
The final had its share of drama as it started late due to rain. Then, on the second day, Tirupur called the shots, and on the final day, Chengalpattu players gave their best to turn things around and pressed for a win.
S Shanmugam, chairman of the selection committee for the DCAC Under-19 team, who closely followed all the matches, in particular, the final, doffed his hat to the team for their splendid show. “This is a historical win. It was thrilling till the end. Hats off to the boys for their splendid show,” said an elated Shanmugam. “After time was lost on Day 1 due to rain, and towards the end second day, the situation was a bit tricky, but I had belief in the team that they would win. Because our players were mentally very strong,” he added.
Shanmugam, who is also a noted coach, gave a pep talk to the boys, which came in handy. “First day when Tiruppur was up, I told the boys, ‘the game is still not over. We can do it. You are all capable of a win, and you can come back.’ Luckily, it worked,’’ he said. “This is one of the best wickets I have seen in 30 years of my cricket career. From the first day, first ball, until the third day, last ball, the wicket behaved the same. It was an excellent wicket,” he added.
While applauding K Jagadeesh, the coach for the training he gave, Shanmugam also made a mention of the boys who made an impact. “M Bharath (8 matches, 911 runs, one double century and three centuries), and B Sandeep (8 matches, 31 wickets, two five-wicket hauls) were outstanding. Bharath is the captain, and I expect him to be the future captain of our state. Aneek, (all round display), Sachin Anand, Rakshan N, Muhammad Shahid, and Sandeep are talented players who contributed to our win,’’ he noted.
The win gives players more opportunities to play TNCA league cricket in Chennai and also representation in the TNPL. “This is definitely a very important win. Since the Chengalpattu District Cricket Association was formed, this is the very first win for the U19 team. Also, before we entered the final, only five boys were selected for the round robin state selection match. After this performance, I am expecting more boys to get selected,’’ pointed out Shanmugam, adding, “We need to develop the district cricketers for the next level. Every year, at least one or two players must go for India U19.”