Teamwork was on display at the TNCA Third Division Championship, where Sical RC put on an all-round display to win the CR Pattabhiraman Shield. In the promotion play-off match, Zone ‘A’ topper Sical RC defeated Zone ‘B’ topper Bunts CC and emerged as overall champions.
Sical RC also secured the III Division ‘A’ Zone title and pocketed the CR Rangachari Shield for topping their zone, winning all 11 matches and securing 44 points. With a creditable show, Sical RC got promoted into the Second Division of the TNCA for the upcoming season.
While they bask in this glory, rewinding the clock tells us a lot about this team. Years ago, they were a strong First Division team in the TNCA league. Back in the day, they were captained by former India all-rounder Robin Singh with former India bowler Paras Mhambrey, who was India’s bowling coach till the T20 World Cup last year, playing for Sical RC as an outstation player.
In the years that followed, Sical slipped through the ranks and went to the lower division of the league. Today, they are fighting their way up. “Winning the Third Division Overall Championship was a tremendous achievement and a proud moment for everyone. With this, we have got promotion to the Second Division and we are sure to continue the good work next season,” AVR Rathinam, captain of Sical RC, told CE.
In the TNCA league, one must top their zone to play the playoff match to get promotion. This is where Sical outsmarted the other teams by having an unbeaten run through the 11 games in the tournament. “Winning the top spot in our zone was a crucial milestone and a validation of the team’s consistency and dedication throughout the season. We were consistent throughout and key players upped their game in turns at crucial junctures,” he said.
P Kannan, who smashed 562 runs from ten innings, including a century and four half-centuries, was the star performer with the bat for Sical RC. With the ball, MS Sanjay led the way, taking 25 wickets. “Everyone contributed to the team’s success, with Kannan, K Wafar, KH Gopinath, and S Suresh Kumar (382 runs, including a double century in 10 matches) and MS Sanjay delivering strong performances with the ball,’’ said Rathinam.
Winning 11 out of 11 matches may look like an easy task, but Sical did face some tough teams and tricky situations. “Matches against RKS Cricket Club and IOB were quite challenging. We faced IOB in the match that decided the Zone championship. Star performers of the match were Kannan and Wafar with the bat, while V Subramania Siva and Akash Sumra stood out with the ball. We played the overall Third Division Championship catch against Bunts CC, with Tamil Kumaran and Sanjay playing key roles. The overall championship match was played at VB Nest grounds, so one needed to adapt to the conditions and the wickets. Our players adapted well,” he said.
Rathinam credited the team management for providing good coaches and excellent acilities for the boys to perform to their potential. “Our coaches are Tamil Kumaran and Subramania Siva, and the support staff are Prabhakaran, Vasu, and Vairav. They helped the players to be in good shape and perform to their potential. Our team management held all the practice sessions at Madras Institute of Sports Academy, St. George School, in the heart of the city, and all players could practice easily,” he said.
Now they have set their sights on getting a promotion and bringing the team to the First Division with the long-term goal of winning the Raja of Palayampatti Shield. “We are dedicated to working towards this goal. To strengthen the squad for higher competition, we need to evaluate and recruit additional talent. This could involve bringing in experienced players who have played in the Second Division or higher, as well as identifying emerging talent. We will provide the team with specialised training to improve essential skills for the next level of competition, such as fitness, match awareness, and mental toughness,’’ he signed off.